Man-at-Arms 


'  Was  I  not  the  trusted  messenger  of  a  great  lord  ?  "  —  Page  54 


A  Man-at-Arms 

A  Romance  of  the  Days  of  Gian 

Galeazzo  Visconti,  the 

Great  Viper 


By 

Clinton  Scollard 

Illustrated  by 

E.  W.  D.  Hamilton 


Lamson,  Wolffe  and  Company 

Boston,  New  York  and  London 
M  DCCC  XCVIII 


Copyright,  1898, 
By  Lamson,  Wolffe  and  Company. 


All  rights  reserved. 


Norwood  Press 

J.  S.  Gushing  &  Co. — Berwick  &  Smith 
Noriuood  Mass.   U.S.A. 


To 
Irving  Gilmore  Brown 


Contents 

Chapter  Pa8« 

I.  I  part  Company  with  my  Father  I 

II.  I  encounter  Gian  Galeazzo  Visconri     . 

III.  I  enter  the  Service  of  the  Lord  of  Pavia        23 

IV.  The  Proving  of  a  Guardsman      .          .        34 
V.  My  First  Outriding  ...        49 

VI.  In  a  Brescia  Garden  ...        64 

VII.  A  Night  at  the  Two  Falcons       .          .        82 

VIII.  The  Mission  to  Milan       .          .          .103 

IX.  The  Coup-de- Main  .          .          .127 

X.  The  Last  March  of  Bernabo        .          .136 

XI.  The  Face  at  the  Casement          .          .148 

XII.  At  Padua 161 

XIII.  The  Affair  of  the  Via  San  Lorenzo       .      188 

XIV.  I    have    Some    Last    Words    with   my 

Father        .....      204 

XV.  The  Black  Closet     .          .          .          .227 

XVI.  To  the  Rescue         .          .          .          .242 


viii  Contents 

Chapter  Page 

XVII.  The  Encounter  at  Como  .  .259 

XVIII.  Up  the  Lake          .          .  .  .272 

XIX.  The  Tower  of  Vezio      .  .  .287 

XX.  The  Flight  by  Night       .  .  .309 

XXI.  The  House  of  the  Canari  .  .323 

XXII.  Out  of  the  Viper's  Coils  .  .      343 


List  of  Illustrations 

Opposite  Page 

"Was  I  not  the  trusted  messenger  of  a  great 
lord  ? "  .          .          .   Frontispiece 

' '  For  some  reason   these   three  men  were  en- 
deavoring to  draw  me  out  "   .          .          .        63 

The  Signorina  Angela  Canaro         .  -75 

The  Death  of  the  Master  of  the  Hounds  .      1 46 

"  Bidding    one    go    in    search    of    a    reputable 

leech" 196 

"  There  was  no  need  of  words  of  wooing  "      .      308 
ix 


A   Man-at-Arms 

Chapter  I 
I  part  Company  with  my  Father 

I  DESCENDED  slowly  and  with  the 
greatest  caution,  hugging  my  sword 
to  my  hip  so  that  it  might  not  clash  upon 
the  stair.  I  had  no  stomach  for  an  en- 
counter with  my  father,  and  hoped  to  pass 
the  entrance  to  his  room  of  retirement 
unobserved,  but  this  was  not  to  be.  The 
door  was  ajar,  and  my  shadow  fell  upon 
the  floor.  As  he  looked  up  from  the 
parchment  over  which  he  was  bending, 
his  eyes  rested  first  upon  my  plumed  cap, 
and  then  ran  swiftly  over  my  whole 
accoutrement,  my  gay  trunks,  my  slashed 
doublet,  and  the  taffeta-lined  cloak  which 
hung  from  my  shoulder.  Gradually  his 
face  darkened  until  it  became  a  hue  quite 
in  keeping  with  the  black  velvet  skull- 


A   Man-at-Arms 


cap  he  had  recently  taken  to  wearing  to 
protect  his  sparsely  thatched  poll  from 
draughts. 

"Whither  go  you,  Luigi?"  he  asked, 
in  his  most  incisive  way. 

"  To  the  river  promenade,"  I  answered. 

"  With  whom  consort  you  there  ?  " 

"  With  my  friends,  Andrea  Campiglione 
and  Paolo  Smeraldi,"  I  said ;  for  I  would 
not  deceive  him,  though  I  knew  that  his 
anger  would  take  flame  at  my  reply. 

"It  is  with  such,  then,  that  you  choose 
to  associate  despite  my  wishes!"  my  father 
exclaimed.  "  Bravos,  swashbucklers  ;  nay, 
for  aught  I  know,  worse  !  " 

"  Hold ! "  he  continued,  rising,  and 
checking  the  speech  that  leaped  to  my 
lips.  "  I  have  something  more  to  say  to 
you,  sir,  but  not  in  your  brother's  pres- 
ence. Leave  us,  Rinaldo." 

My  stripling  half-brother,  who  had 
been  construing  his  task  in  Latin,  shuffled 
from  the  room  with  ill  grace,  glowering  at 
my  father,  whom  he  strongly  resembled 
and  whose  favorite  he  was,  and  casting  at 
me  a  look  in  which  I  read  a  gleeful  malice. 


I  part  Company  with  my  Father     3 

Truth  to  say,  my  home  was  little  to  my 
liking,  fine  though  it  was  as  any  in  all 
Pavia.  I  was  heir  by  birth  to  my  father's 
house,  had  just  entered  upon  my  twenty- 
third  year,  and  was  but  two  weeks  returned 
from  the  completion  of  my  studies  at  the 
University  of  Bologna,  yet  I  was  made  to 
feel  like  a  stranger  under  an  alien  roof. 
My  stepmother  had  always  looked  upon 
me  as  a  barrier  to  her  own  child's  advance- 
ment, and  it  was  owing  to  her  dislike  for 
me,  which  she  was  at  no  pains  to  conceal, 
that  I  was  kept  much  of  the  time  from 
home. 

Between  my  father  and  myself,  too,  I 
had  discovered  when  I  returned  to  Pavia 
year  after  year,  during  the  long  break  in 
the  university  session,  there  was  a  growing 
lack  of  sympathy.  One  day  I  had  turned 
to  him  suddenly,  and  found  him  regarding 
me  with  a  curious  intentness.  In  answer 
to  my  question  as  to  the  reason  for  his 
scrutiny  he  said  he  was  reading  my 
mother's  looks  in  my  face,  and  from  his 
expression  I  saw  that  he  was  little  pleased 
thereat.  This  fact  I  pondered  upon 


A  Man-at-Arms 


much,  and  took  occasion,  not  long  after- 
ward, to  entreat  him  to  tell  me  something 
of  my  mother,  who  had  died  a  year  after 
my  birth,  and  concerning  whom  I  knew 
almost  nothing  save  that  she  came  of  a 
noble  Paduan  family. 

I  got  little  satisfaction  from  him,  how- 
ever, and  gradually  a  suspicion  dawned 
upon  me  that  the  memory  of  my  mother 
was  for  some  reason  not  pleasant  to  him, 
and  that  the  growing  resemblance  to  her 
which  he  saw  in  me  made  me  distasteful 
in  his  sight.  Then  our  likings  were  radi- 
cally different.  I  had  small  fancy  for 
jurisprudence,  in  which  it  was  his  special 
desire  that  I  should  excel,  and  had  ambi- 
tions of  a  soldierly  character  which  he  per- 
sistently frowned  upon. 

My  father  said  nothing  until  Rinaldo's 
footsteps  had  died  away  down  the  wide 
hall.  Then  he  took  from  the  table  a 
letter  which  he  unfolded  and  began  scan- 
ning, his  brow  contracting  as  he  did  so. 

"  This,"  he  said,  shaking  the  script 
almost  in  my  face,  "  has  come  to  me  from 
Bologna  to-day." 


I   part  Company  with  my   Father     5 

I  strove  to  look  unconcerned,  but  my 
effort  was  a  failure,  and  my  father  saw 
my  uneasiness.  That  the  writing  in  some 
way  referred  to  my  bouts  at  arms  I  had 
no  doubt,  affairs  which  I  had  previously 
succeeded  in  keeping  from  his  ears. 

"  Perhaps  you  would  like  to  hear  what 
my  correspondent,  one  of  your  preceptors, 
has  to  say  ?  "  he  continued. 

I  saw  that  he  was  working  himself  into 
a  fury,  and  remained  silent. 

"  Listen  to  this,"  he  cried,  and  began 
reading,  his  voice  tremulous  with  passion  : 
"  While  your  son's  scholarly  attainments 
fall,  I  fear,  far  short  of  what  you  might 
wish,  he  being  but  a  poor  lover  of  his 
books,  his  skill  at  arms  (an  art  in  these 
days  vastly  more  to  a  man's  profit  than  that 
of  the  scribe)  is,  if  common  rumor  may 
be  believed,  likely  to  bring  him  to  great 
renown.  His  exploits  have  been,  and  are 
long  likely  to  be,  the  talk  of  the  Univer- 
sity." 

"  You  are  doubtless  proud  of  your  rec- 
ord!"  exclaimed  my  father  bitterly,  as  he 
lifted  his  eyes  from  the  paper.  Then 


A   Man-at-Arms 


something  in  my  demeanor,  in  the  expres- 
sion of  my  features,  drew  a  great  oath  from 
him. 

"  Body  of  Christ  !  "  said  he,  "  don't 
look  at  me  like  that,  or  I  shall  take  you  by 
the  throat.  That  was  the  very  air  your 
mother  wore  when  I  told  her  she  had  a 
lover." 

"  What !  "  I  cried,  moved  to  speech  for 
the  first  time,  and  scarcely  crediting  my 
ears. 

"  Yes,"  said  he,  "  that  accursed  mixture 
of  resentment  and  pride  and  injured  inno- 
cence." 

"  My  mother  had  a  lover  !  "  I  exclaimed, 
not  heeding  his  last  words.  "  Sir,  if  that 
be  true,  why  do  you,  my  father,  now  cast 
it  in  my  teeth  ?  " 

"  Because  you,  like  her  in  voice,  in  feat- 
ure, in  every  motion,  have,  like  her,  never 
once  during  your  lifetime  carried  out  my 
wishes,  and  have  now  come  back  to  me  a 
bravo,  a  brawler,  a  picker  of  street  quarrels, 
to  disgrace  me  as  she  did." 

I  know  not  how  I  restrained  myself  at 
this  most  unjust  and  unnatural  outburst; 


I   part  Company  with  my   Father     7 

for  it  seemed  to  me  if  man  ever  deserved 
to  be  spitted  without  remorse  it  was  this 
creature  before  me,  whom  I  had  always 
called  father  ;  yet,  though  my  blood  surged 
hot  within  me,  I  replied  to  him  evenly. 

"  Sir,"  I  said,  "  I  believe  you  foully 
slander  my  mother's  memory,  and  never 
will  I  again  set  foot  beneath  your  roof 
until  you  recall  those  base  words.  As  for 
what  you  say  in  regard  to  myself,  if  I  now 
become  that  which  you  accuse  me  of  being, 
it  will  be  your  doing  and  not  mine." 

This  said,  my  father  almost  frothing 
with  rage  the  while,  and  yet  not  daring  to 
lay  hands  on  me,  I  wheeled  about,  strode 
through  the  hallway,  and  down  the  main 
staircase  to  the  court,  taking  no  pains  now 
to  hug  my  sword  to  my  hip,  but  letting  it 
clash  upon  the  stones  as  I  went,  and  glory- 
ing in  the  angry  echoes  that  swarmed  about 
my  ears. 


Chapter  II 
I  encounter  Gian  Galeazzo  Visconti 

I  FOUND  my  three  companions  await- 
ing me  by  the  river  gate,  whither 
I  went  like  one  walking  in  his  sleep. 
They  at  once  saw  by  my  manner  that 
something  untoward  had  taken  place,  and 
began  to  rally  me,  thinking  that  the  loss 
of  a  smile,  or  the  withdrawal  of  a  fond 
look  from  a  pair  of  dark  eyes,  had  caused 
my  perturbation.  I  took  no  pains  to  cor- 
rect this  impression,  but  told  them  that 
they  would  have  to  go  their  ways  without 
me  that  evening,  as  I  was  in  no  mood  for 
gallantries.  This  gave  strength  to  the 
notion  that  I  was  vexed  by  an  unlucky 
love  affair,  and  I  parted  from  them  amid 
a  chorus  of  fleers  that  did  not  tend  to 
make  me  any  the  more  amiable. 
8 


I  encounter  Gian  Galeazzo  Visconti      9 

Along  the  Via  Ticino  I  took  my  way, 
turning  neither  to  the  right  nor  to  the  left, 
going  to  the  wall  for  no  one,  much  to  the 
wrath  of  many  good  citizens  who  were  out 
for  an  airing  after  the  employment  of  the 
day.  Quarrels  had  there  been  in  plenty 
had  I  chosen  to  accept  them,  and  under 
ordinary  circumstances  (I  now  confess  it 
with  shame)  I  would  not  have  been  back- 
ward. And  yet  in  justice  to  myself  I 
should  say  that  it  was  far  from  my  custom 
to  flaunt  it  so  heedlessly  through  the 
streets,  regardless  of  the  rights  of  others. 

My  wrath  against  my  father  mounted 
as  I  went  on,  and  I  took  a  resolve  that  it 
should  be  my  mission  to  probe  to  the  bot- 
tom his  accusation  against  my  mother, 
and  force  him  to  retract  his  foul  slander 
upon  her  good  name,  for  that  she  could 
be  guilty  of  what  he  had  averred  never  for 
an  instant  entered  my  mind.  Before  my 
purpose  could  be  effected,  however,  I 
must  find  a  means  of  livelihood.  I  cast 
aside  at  once  all  thought  of  continuing  in 
the  course  my  father  had  mapped  out  for 
me,  which  was  to  end  in  an  advocateship 


io  A  Man-at-Arms 

and  judgeship,  and  determined  to  enter 
the  profession  which  then  offered  the 
quickest  means  of  advancement,  and  the 
one  for  which  I  well  knew  I  was  best 
fitted,  —  that  of  arms. 

It  was  not  for  naught,  I  now  told  myself, 
that  I  had  given  more  attention  to  books 
on  military  tactics  than  to  those  upon 
jurisprudence ;  that  I  had  frequented  the 
fencing-halls  more  assiduously  than  the 
lecture-rooms  ;  that  I  knew  the  masters  of 
fence  (drawn  to  Bologna  from  all  Europe) 
more  intimately  than  the  learned  profes- 
sors of  the  University. 

I  realized  that,  with  my  knowledge  of 
sword-practice,  it  would  not  be  difficult 
for  me  to  find  a  place  in  one  of  the  many 
companies  maintained  by  the  overlords  of 
the  chief  Italian  cities.  But  to  serve  as 
a  common  soldier,  a  mere  underling,  was 
far  from  my  ambition.  Yet,  better  that,  I 
said  to  myself,  than  the  life  I  had  seen 
opening  before  me  in  my  father's  house. 

To  whom  should  I  offer  myself?  As 
this  question  came  to  my  mind  for  decision 
I  emerged  from  the  Via  Ticino,  and  found 


I  encounter  Gian  Galeazzo   Visconti     1 1 

myself  in  the  wide  open  space  in  front 
of  the  Palazzo  Visconti.  Two  German 
guards  in  their  dark  jerkins  stood,  pikes 
in  hand,  at  the  entrance  gateway.  I  seemed 
to  read  in  them  an  answer  to  my  question. 
And  yet  for  good  reasons  I  hesitated  to 
apply  to  Gian  Galeazzo,  the  head  of  the 
branch  of  the  Visconti  who  held  the  over- 
lordship  of  Pavia.  True,  rumor  had  it 
that  he  was  anxious  for  recruits  to  swell 
the  company  he  was  forming,  but  there 
had  never  been  a  feeling  of  great  friend- 
liness between  my  family  and  the  Visconti 
because  we  were  allied,  although  not 
closely,  with  the  Beccaria,  whose  rule  in 
Pavia  the  Visconti  had  overthrown. 

Could  I  have  had  my  choice,  I  would 
have  sought  out  some  of  the  members  of 
my  mother's  house  in  Padua  ( for  though 
my  mother  was  an  orphan,  and  reared  by 
an  uncle,  I  felt  that  there  must  be  some 
of  her  kin  still  living)  and  there  taken 
service  under  Francesco  da  Carrara.  But 
how  could  I,  with  only  a  few  florins  in  my 
pocket,  and  with  no  gear  save  that  upon 
my  back,  expect  to  be  able  to  make  so 


12  A  Man-at-Arms 

extended  a  journey,  and  establish  my  iden- 
tity among  those  whom  I  had  never  seen  ? 
No,  at  present  Padua  could  not  be  thought 
of,  and  under  Gian  Galeazzo's  uncle,  Ber- 
nabo,  who  held  sway  at  Milan,  I  would 
not  serve,  for  I  knew  him  to  be  a  cruel 
and  detestable  tyrant.  I  might  possibly 
manage  to  reach  Mantua,  where  the  family 
of  Gonzaga  held  supremacy,  and  it  was 
with  the  idea  of  deciding  whether  I  should 
attempt  to  do  this,  or  should  approach 
Gian  Galeazzo,  that  I  crossed  the  piazza  in 
front  of  the  palace,  and  passed  through  the 
gateway  of  Santa  Maria  in  Portica  into  the 
open  country. 

The  sun  was  low  on  the  horizon,  and 
the  laborers  were  plodding  homeward 
from  the  fields.  I  doubt  not  they  cast 
many  curious  glances  at  me,  for  a  young 
gallant  in  my  array  was  a  rare  sight  on 
foot  upon  the  highway,  and  I  went  along 
with  down-bent  head  and  no  eyes  for 
those  whom  I  passed.  I  had  gone  some 
distance  between  the  fields  and  orchards, 
and  was  approaching  a  small  tributary  of 
the  Ticino,  called  the  Vernavola,  when  I 


I  encounter  Gian  Galeazzo  Visconti     13 

heard  the  clatter  of  horses'  hoofs.  Who 
the  approaching  horseman  was  I  could 
not  see,  for  the  thoroughfare  curved 
abruptly  just  beyond  where  a  bridge 
spanned  the  stream,  and  here  was  a  group 
of  poplars.  Moreover,  the  stream  was 
fringed  by  a  growth  of  underbrush,  and 
on  both  sides  of  it  were  mulberry 
orchards. 

Louder  grew  the  sound  of  the  hoof- 
beats,  and  ere  the  horse  and  rider  came 
into  view,  I  heard  the  animal's  labored 
breathing.  It  was  evident  that  some  one 
spurred  in  haste.  Around  the  bend  and 
across  the  bridge  plunged  the  steed,  head 
stretched  forward  and  nostrils  wide.  He 
who  rode  held  the  bridle  nervelessly,  and 
was  crouching  low,  clutching  the  saddle. 
His  cloak  had  been  partly  torn  loose,  and 
flapped  out  upon  his  left  like  a  great 
wing.  His  head  was  uncovered,  and  his 
hair  blew  about  his  colorless  face.  I  had 
stepped  aside  upon  the  sward  to  let  him 
pass,  and  he  shot  at  me  an  apprehensive 
glance  as  he  swept  by.  A  stride  beyond 
where  I  stood  the  horse  stumbled,  and 


14  A  Man-at-Arms 

the  uncertain  rider  was  thrown  from  the 
saddle  and  cast  heavily  on  the  turf  at  the 
road  edge.  The  animal  recovered  itself, 
and  raced  Pavia-ward,  riderless.  As  I 
hastened  to  the  assistance  of  the  fallen 
man,  I  noted  for  the  first  time  that 
there  were  other  horsemen  approaching, 
and  it  flashed  upon  me  that  they  were  in 
pursuit. 

"  Are  you  much  hurt,  sir  ? "  I  cried, 
assisting  the  unfortunate  horseman  to  his 
feet. 

"  Mother  of  Christ,  is  there  no  escape  ? " 
said  he,  without  heeding  my  anxious  in- 
quiry, casting  about  him  a  glance  of  terror 
and  despair,  as  though  he  would  fain  dis- 
cover some  place  whither  he  could  fly. 

It  was  then  that  I  recognized  him, 
though  I  had  not  set  eyes  upon  him 
for  several  years,  and  he  seemed  to  have 
changed  much  in  the  interval,  his  face 
now  being  thinner  and  more  ascetic.  The 
man  before  me  was  none  other  than  the 
ruler  of  Pavia,  Gian  Galeazzo  Visconti, 
and  he  was  in  some  mortal  peril.  Was 
ever  youth  anxious  to  win  the  favor  of 


I   encounter  Gian   Galeazzo  Visconti     15 

one  in  high  place  more  fortunate  in  his 
opportunity !  I  realized  that  Fate  had 
thrown  in  my  path  the  golden  apple  of 
chance,  and  I  was  not  slow  to  grasp  it. 
"  You  are  pursued,  —  your  life  is  in 
danger !  "  I  exclaimed,  the  iron  hoofs  of 
the  nearing  horses  seeming  so  to  terrify 
the  man  before  me  that  he  was  incapable 
of  action  or  further  speech.  "  Come  !  " 
I  seized  him  by  the  arm  as  I  said  this, 
and  dragged  him  toward  the  stone  barrier 
which  separated  the  highway  from  the 
mulberry  orchard.  I  had  to  assist  him 
in  crossing  the  wall,  so  stiff  and  bruised 
was  he,  and  we  had  barely  time  to  crouch 
in  the  drainage  ditch  upon  the  other  side 
when  the  adjoining  bridge  rang  with  the 
passage  of  several  horsemen.  I  knew 
that  they  would  at  once  discover  the 
riderless  steed  of  Gian  Galeazzo,  and  that 
they  would  doubtless  rein  their  animals, 
and  begin  to  search  for  the  missing  fugi- 
tive. Could  we  reach  the  undergrowth 
skirting  the  Vernavola  before  they  turned 
and  began  their  search,  I  felt  that  we  had  a 
very  good  chance  of  escaping  unobserved. 


1 6  A  Man-at-Arms 

"  Quick  !  "  I  whispered  to  my  compan- 
ion, forgetting,  in  the  stress  of  events,  to 
address  him  by  any  title  of  respect;  "we 
must  follow  this  ditch  to  the  stream." 

Exclamations  of  chagrin  and  anger, 
mingled  with  cries  of  command  to  the 
horses,  came  to  us,  as  we  started,  from  a 
short  distance  down  the  road. 

I  had  heard  many  times  that  the  Lord 
of  Pavia  was  a  coward,  and  precious  little 
show  of  bravery  did  he  exhibit  in  this 
emergency.  I  could  hear  his  teeth  chat- 
tering as  he  crept  along  behind  me,  and 
when  we  at  length  reached  the  cover  of 
the  underbrush  on  the  banks  of  the  Ver- 
navola  the  perspiration  stood  in  great 
drops  on  his  forehead,  and  he  sank  upon 
the  ground,  shaking  with  fear.  I  made 
haste  to  peer  from  our  concealment  and 
found  the  horsemen,  three  in  number,  had 
halted  their  steeds,  and  were  narrowly 
scanning  the  adjacent  fields  and  orchards. 
It  was  evident  that  they  had  no  suspicion 
of  the  fugitive's  whereabouts. 

While  I  was  thus  engaged  in  recon- 
noitring, the  Visconti  clutched  my  arm. 


I  encounter  Gian  Galeazzo  Visconti     17 

He  was  still  in  a  tremor,  and  his  breath 
came  in  gasps. 

"  Have  they  seen  us  ? "  he  whispered 
apprehensively. 

"  No,"  I  returned,  "  and  if  we  hasten, 
there  is  small  chance  that  they  will,  but 
we  must  be  cautious  not  to  stir  the  under- 
growth so  as  to  attract  their  attention." 

He  let  me  lead  the  way,  saying  as  he 
did  so, — 

"  I  am  not  one  who  forgets  a  service 
such  as  you  have  rendered  me  !  " 

The  hunted,  terrified  look  died  from  his 
eyes,  and  a  flush  of  color  gave  a  more 
agreeable  expression  to  his  pasty  face.  I 
saw  that  he  was  beginning  to  consider 
that  the  danger  had  passed,  as  indeed  it 
had,  for  by  the  time  the  three  horsemen 
decided  to  beat  the  bushes  which  fringed 
the  Vernavola  we  were  well  out  of  their 
clutches. 

At  length  we  reached  a  sunken  laneway 
which  led  through  the  fields  in  the  direc- 
tion of  the  high-road. 

"  It  is  perfectly  safe  to  follow  this,"  I  said ; 
"your  Lordship  is  quite  out  of  danger." 


1 8  A   Man-at-Arms 

He  stopped  abruptly,  and  gave  me  a 
curious  look. 

"  You  know  me,  then  ! "  he  exclaimed. 
"  I  thought  you  did  not.  Your  face 
is  not  familiar  to  me.  Are  you  a 
Pavian  ? " 

"  I  am,"  I  answered,  "  and  am  called 
Luigi  della  Verria."  Then,  thinking  he 
might  be  displeased  at  the  abrupt  way  in 
which  I  had  addressed  him  when  he  was 
in  peril  by  the  roadway  bridge,  I  added, 
"  I  trust  your  Lordship  will  pardon  my 
peremptory  words  a  few  moments  since. 
I  was  so  anxious  for  your  safety  that  my 
manners  left  me." 

I  could  see  that  this  pleased  him,  for  he 
replied  with  a  smile,  — 

"  There  is  naught  to  pardon,  for  assur- 
edly had  it  not  been  for  your  readiness  to 
command,  my  carcass  might  even  now  be 
food  for  prowling  curs  or  the  minnows  of 
this  very  stream." 

He  had  quite  recovered  his  wonted 
serenity,  and  spoke  almost  gayly  as  we 
plodded  toward  the  road,  yet  I  noted  that 
his  manner  was  more  that  of  the  scholar, 


I  encounter  Gian  Galeazzo  Visconti     19 

or  even  the  churchman,  than  that  of  the 
man  of  affairs. 

"  Doubtless  I  have  to  thank  my  excel- 
lent uncle,  Bernabo,  for  this  lively  bit  of 
entertainment!"  he  exclaimed.  "By  our 
Lady,  young  sir,"  he  continued,  "  I  would 
that  I  had  a  fearless  spirit  like  yours  in 
this  poor  body  of  mine  !  " 

"  But  I  was  in  no  danger,"  I  said, 
making  what  excuse  I  could  for  his  lack 
of  courage. 

"  Do  you  think  those  villains  would 
have  spared  you,"  cried  he,  "  if  they  had 
discovered  you  while  assisting  me  to 
escape  ?  They  would  have  hacked  us 
down  as  they  did  my  poor  troopers 
yonder." 

"  There  were  places  by  the  stream 
where  we  might  have  made  a  very  pretty 
defence,"  said  I.  "Two  pitted  against 
three  are  not  at  such  a  grievous  disad- 
vantage." 

"  You  speak  with  confidence  as  though 
you  were  accustomed  to  sword-play." 

I  saw  him  look  at  me  with  increasing 
interest  as  he  said  this. 


2O  A   Man-at-Arms 

"  I  am  not  without  some  trifling  expe- 
rience," I  replied. 

We  were  now  yery  near  the  high-road, 
and  our  conversation  was  cut  short  by  the 
appearance  of  a  dozen  troopers  riding 
hastily  from  the  direction  of  the  city. 
Their  leader  caught  sight  of  Gian  Galeazzo, 
and  drew  rein  abruptly,  commanding  his 
men  to  halt.  Then  he  dismounted,  and 
doffing  his  cap  of  steel  came  toward  us. 

"  We  were  much  disturbed  about  your 
Lordship's  safety,"  he  said  brokenly,  with 
a  strong  German  accent.  "  Your  steed 
rushed  into  the  palace  court  riderless, 
whereat  we  immediately  mounted  and  set 
out  to  discover  what  had  happened." 

"You  did  well,"  the  Lord  of  Pavia 
answered  him,  speaking  in  German.  "  I 
was  sore  beset,  and  had  it  not  been  for 
the  assistance  of  this  young  gentleman  I 
should  not  now  be  telling  of  my  adventure. 
I  went  for  my  evening  ride  with  three 
of  your  comrades,  as  you  know.  Just 
beyond  the  hamlet  of  Vernavola  we  were 
suddenly  attacked  by  seven  mounted  men, 
who  spurred  upon  us  from  behind  a  farm- 


I  encounter  Gian  Galeazzo  Visconti     21 

stead  wall.  My  guard  made  a  gallant 
defence,  enabling  me  to  break  away  from 
the  press,  and  although  pursued,  I  feel 
sure  that  I  should  have  escaped  on  horse- 
back had  my  animal  not  stumbled  and 
thrown  me.  It  was  then,  when  my 
pursuers  were  close  on  me,  that  this 
young  man,  who  chanced  to  be  at  hand, 
assisted  me  in  eluding  the  villains." 

"  It  was  little  that  I  did,"  I  said, 
thinking  now  to  take  my  leave  of  him, 
for  one  of  the  troopers  had  dismounted, 
and  the  Visconti  had  put  his  hand  upon  the 
pommel  of  the  vacant  saddle.  "  But  I 
pray  your  Lordship  to  believe  that  I 
would  do  him  any  service  with  the  same 
cheerfulness." 

"  Ah  ! "  he  exclaimed,  as  I  was  about 
withdrawing,  resolved  that  on  the  morrow 
I  would  present  myself  to  him  and  ask 
to  be  taken  into  his  service,  "you  under- 
stand the  German  tongue  !  " 

"  Yes,"  I  replied,  "  I  had  some  ac- 
quaintances among  the  Germans  at  the 
University  of  Bologna." 

"  Now  that  you   speak   of  Bologna,  I 


22  A  Man-at-Arms 

recall  to  have  heard  that  Giovanni  della 
Verria  had  a  son  at  the  University." 

"I  am  he." 

I  bowed,  and  made  as  though  I  would 
retire. 

"  Stay  !  "  he  said,  "  I  would  have  some 
further  words  with  you.  Will  you  not 
ride  back  to  the  city  with  me  ? " 

Here  was  an  invitation  which  it  would 
have  been  gross  folly  to  refuse ;  another 
trooper  was  commanded  to  dismount,  and 
I  who  had  left  Pavia  little  more  than  an 
hour  since,  a  self-elected  outcast  from  my 
father's  house,  rode  back  by  the  side  of 
the  most  powerful  man  within  its  walls, 
Gian  Galeazzo  Visconti. 


Chapter   III 
I  enter  the  Service  of  the  Lord  of  Pavia 

ERE  we  reached  the  gateway  of  Santa 
Maria  in  Portica,  the  red  after- 
glow had  faded  from  the  sky.  If  the 
Lord  of  Pavia  had  in  mind  any  special 
matter  concerning  which  he  desired  to 
speak  with  me,  he  certainly  did  not  broach 
it  during  the  ride,  though  he  talked 
freely  on  general  topics,  and  I  was  not 
so  blind  as  not  to  realize  that  he  was 
drawing  me  out,  for  during  our  conver- 
sation he  put  to  me  several  keen  and 
searching  questions. 

We  rode  into  the  palace  courtyard 
amid  a  glare  of  torches,  and  a  buzz  of 
many  voices.  A  tall  soldierly  figure  strode 
out  from  a  group  of  men-at-arms  and 
greeted  Gian  Galeazzo  heartily,  and  after 
23 


24  A  Man-at-Arms 

the  Lord  of  Pavia  had  issued  several  orders 
which  did  not  reach  my  ears,  these  two 
went  into  the  palace  together. 

Though  I  had  not  been  dismissed,  I 
took  it  for  granted  that  his  Lordship  had 
nothing  more  to  say  to  me  that  evening, 
and  was  making  my  way  toward  the  gate- 
way through  the  crowd  of  troopers  who 
thronged  the  courtyard,  when  some  one 
plucked  my  sleeve.  I  turned  and  found 
that  it  was  the  leader  of  the  band  who 
had  gone  out  in  search  of  the  Visconti. 

"  His  Lordship  wishes  me  to  tell  you," 
the  soldier  said,  "  that  if  it  is  your  pleas- 
ure to  remain  for  a  little  he  will  speak 
further  with  you." 

"  My  time  is  at  his  disposal,"  I  replied. 

"  Very  good.  If  you  will  follow  me, 
I  will  show  you  where  you  are  to  wait." 

I  was  conducted  along  partially  finished 
hallways  (the  palace  being  incomplete,  as 
it  had  been  left  by  Galeazzo,  the  former 
Lord  of  Pavia,  he  who  had  married  his 
daughter  Violante  to  Clarence,  son  of 
Edward  III.  of  England,  and  brother  of 
the  Black  Prince,  with  such  pomp  and 


I  enter  Service  of  the  Lord  of  Pavia    25 

prodigality),  and  finally  ushered  into  a 
small,  but  tastefully  appointed  waiting- 
room.  For  a  space  I  found  my  own 
thoughts  very  agreeable  company.  Cer- 
tainly, I  told  myself,  this  attention  on 
the  part  of  Gian  Galeazzo  boded  well  for 
me.  Then  I  began  to  review  what  I 
knew  in  regard  to  the  man  into  whose 
service  I  hoped  to  enter.  I  judged  him 
to  be  approaching  forty  years  of  age. 
He  had  been  twice  married,  his  first  wife 
having  been  Isabella  of  Valois,  daughter 
of  King  John  of  France.  She  it  was  who 
brought  him,  as  part  of  her  dowry,  the 
county  of  Virtus  in  Champagne,  from 
which  he  was  sometimes  called  Count 
Virtu.  His  second  wife,  with  whom  he 
was  now  living,  was  Caterina,  his  cousin, 
the  daughter  of  Bernabo  Visconti,  Lord 
of  Milan.  He  had  been  overlord  of 
Pavia  since  his  father's  death  seven  years 
previous,  in  1378.  He  had  the  reputa- 
tion of  being  just  and  lenient  in  his  rule, 
and  I  recalled  that  I  had  heard  my  father, 
who  bore  the  family  no  good  will,  com- 
mend him  for  the  reforms  which  he  had 


26  A  Man-at-Arms 

carried  into  effect.  It  was  common  rumor 
that  he  was  learned,  and  that  he  affected 
to  be  pious,  for  he  spent  much  time  with 
the  clergy  and  men  of  religious  orders. 
He  made  no  secret  of  his  lack  of  physical 
strength  and  bravery,  but  this  was  usually 
set  down  to  his  delicate  constitution,  and 
was  not  looked  upon  as  condemnatory 
of  his  character.  On  the  whole  he  was 
respected,  even  liked,  by  the  populace, 
who  contrasted  with  words  of  praise  his 
mild  sway  with  that  of  his  irascible  father, 
and  with  that  of  his  cruel  uncle  in  Milan. 
That  Gian  Galeazzo  was  slowly  and 
without  ostentation,  in  fact  with  as  much 
secrecy  as  possible,  forming  a  formidable 
military  company  was  a  matter  of  con- 
siderable wonder,  and  not  a  little  discus- 
sion, among  the  citizens  of  Pavia.  It  had 
always  been  the  custom  for  the  overlords 
of  the  city  to  keep  at  call  a  small  yet 
efficient  body  of  guardsmen,  but  the  num- 
ber of  soldiers  that  Gian  Galeazzo  had 
gathered  about  him  far  outnumbered  any 
previous  band.  That  a  man  of  the  sup- 
posed character  of  the  present  Lord  should 


I  enter  Service  of  the  Lord  of  Pavia     27 

embark  upon  any  military  enterprise  ap- 
peared most  unlikely,  and  it  began  to  be 
whispered  that  Bernabo,  Galeazzo's  uncle, 
had  designs  upon  Pavia,  and  that  his 
nephew  did  not  propose  to  be  taken  un- 
aware. The  Pavians  had  no  desire  to 
come  under  the  sway  of  the  Milan  tyrant, 
consequently  the  soldiers  were  not  looked 
upon  with  disfavor,  despite  the  fact  that 
most  of  them  were  aliens,  the  largest  num- 
ber being  Germans.  The  command  and 
organization  of  the  company  had  been 
given  to  the  noted  condittiere^  Jacobo  del 
Verme. 

I  had  heard  these  matters  talked  over 
in  the  streets,  and  though  much  interested 
in  them,  had  restrained  myself  from  visit- 
ing the  quarters  of  the  soldiers,  and  had 
shunned  the  vicinity  of  the  palace,  where 
many  of  them  were  constantly  to  be  seen, 
because  of  the  well-known  antipathy  of 
my  father  toward  things  military.  Though 
he  did  not  wish  me  to  be  ignorant  of  the 
use  of  the  sword,  it  was  under  protest  that 
I  carried  one,  and  it  was  partly  because 
my  two  most  intimate  acquaintances  were 


28  A  Man-at-Arms 

youths  of  spirit,  who  had  been  prominent 
in  some  affair  which  had  come  to  his  ears, 
that  my  father  burst  upon  me  in  the  tirade 
that  led  to  our  parting. 

After  a  time  I  grew  weary  of  conjectur- 
ing what  the  coming  interview  might  have 
in  store  for  me,  and  began  to  listen  im- 
patiently for  the  footstep  of  the  one  who 
should  summon  me  into  the  presence  of 
the  Lord  of  Pavia.  But  the  passages 
gave  forth  no  sound,  and  I  was  constrained 
to  attempt  to  study  out  the  allegorical 
fresco  upon  the  walls  of  the  apartment 
in  order  to  allay  my  nervous  impatience. 
However,  the  flickering  taper,  which  was 
the  sole  light  within  the  room,  shed  so 
uncertain  a  glow  that  I  finally  gave  up  in 
disgust,  and  fell  to  watching  a  foolish 
moth  that  was  hovering  perilously  near 
the  wavering  flame.  When  I  had  seen 
this  poor  atom  fall,  singed  and  twitching, 
to  the  floor,  and  had  keyed  my  ear  for 
the  hundredth  time  for  the  desired  sound 
in  vain,  I  began  to  believe  that  I  had 
been  forgotten,  and  was  meditating  mak- 
ing my  way  back  to  the  courtyard,  when 


I  enter  Service  of  the  Lord  of  Pavia    29 

the  door  opposite  the  one  by  which  I  had 
entered  swung  back,  and  a  page  bade  me 
follow  him. 

We  crossed  a  stately  reception-hall  hung 
with  rich  tapestries  and  decorated  with  bur- 
nished mirrors,  traversed  a  short  passage, 
at  the  further  end  of  which  we  halted  where 
a  dark  curtain  was  swung.  Upon  the 
panelling  behind  this  my  guide  tapped,  and 
in  response  to  a  reply  from  within  admitted 
me  to  a  brightly  illumined  closet  where  two 
men  were  seated.  One  was  the  Lord  of 
Pavia,  and  the  other  was  he  of  the  soldierly 
figure  who  had  greeted  Gian  Galeazzo  so 
warmly  on  his  return. 

The  Visconti  looked  at  me  pleasantly 
as  I  made  my  obeisance. 

"  This  gentleman,"  he  said,  turning 
to  his  companion,  "  is  the  commander 
of  my  guards  and  troops,  Jacopo  del 
Verme." 

I  saluted  the  noted  soldier,  and  ex- 
pressed the  honor  I  felt  in  being  presented 
to  him.  His  face  was  bronzed  and  seamed 
with  exposure.  He  had  a  muscular  figure, 
and  his  alert  eyes  and  resourceful  mien  be- 


30  A  Man-at-Arms 

spoke  the  commander  of  men,  one  accus- 
tomed to  be  obeyed.  I  was  far  more 
impressed  by  him  than  by  the  Lord  of 
Pavia,  who  had  changed  his  stained  and 
torn  riding-costume  for  a  sedate  garb  which 
suited  him  well,  and  yet  which  gave  him 
the  air  of  an  advocate  rather  than  that  of 
a  ruler  of  cities.  The  countenance  of  Gian 
Galeazzo  Visconti  was  not  one  that  inspired 
trust,  although  in  those  days  he  strove  to 
win  the  confidence  of  aH  with  whom  he 
came  in  contact.  There  was  a  lack  of 
warmth  in  his  nature  which  showed  in  the 
expression  of  his  eyes.  Yet  he  simulated 
an  ease  and  openness  which,  at  the  outset 
of  an  acquaintance  with  him,  effectually  hid 
the  cunning  and  calculating  depths  of  his 
heart.  I  was  not  drawn  toward  him  as  I 
was  toward  the  hale  and  weather-beaten 
condittiere^  and  yet  I  was  disposed  to  like 
him  notwithstanding  the  fact  that  I  could 
not  forget  his  want  of  manliness  in  the 
affair  of  the  high-road. 

When  Jacopo  del  Verme  had  looked 
me  up  and  down  in  his  sharp  and  critical 
fashion  until  I  began  to  feel  a  desire  to 


I  enter  Service  of  the  Lord  of  Pavia    31 

find  a  corner  into  which  I  could  crawl  and 
hide  myself,  he  broke  out  abruptly,  — 

"  His  Lordship  has  taken  a  fancy  to 
you,  my  young  sir,  without  consideration 
of  the  fact  that  you  have  rendered  him  a 
notable  service,  and  it  would  greatly  please 
him  if  he  could  in  some  way  attach  you  to 
his  person." 

He  paused  as  though  expecting  me  to 
make  some  reply,  but  I  was  too  much 
perturbed  by  his  scrutiny  and  his  abrupt 
speech  to  answer  at  once,  so  he  went  on, 
thinking  presumably  that  I  wished  to  hear 
just  what  the  Lord  of  Pavia  might  pro- 
pose. 

"  There  is  a  lieutenancy  vacant  in  the 
palace  guard  which  his  Lordship  thinks 
you  might  fill,  but  before  offering  you 
this  there  are  three  things  to  be  considered : 
first,  your  own  desire;  second,  your  father's 
wish  or  consent ;  and  third,  your  ability  to 
fill  the  post." 

"  I  thank  his  Lordship  most  heartily," 
I  answered,  now  quite  myself,  "  for  the 
great  honor  which  his  proposal  does  me, 
and  would  say  frankly  that  to  serve  him 


32  A  Man-at-Arms 

is  my  first  wish.  My  father  need  not  be 
taken  into  account  in  the  matter,  since  he 
and  I  have  parted  company,  and  his  desire 
would  not  weigh  with  me.  As  regards 
my  ability  to  meet  the  requirements  of 
the  position  in  question,  I  hope  to  be  able 
to  prove  both  to  his  Lordship's  satisfaction, 
and  yours,  that  I  am  fully  capable  of  doing 
so.  I  trust,"  I  said,  "  that  a  lieutenant  in 
the  palace  guard  is  not  compelled  to  re- 
main behind,  if,  by  any  chance,  there  is 
active  service  in  the  field." 

Del  Verme  broke  into  a  loud  chuckle 
at  this. 

"  I  like  your  spirit !  "  cried  he,  "  but 
you  need  have  no  fear  of  inactivity  if  you 
can  satisfactorily  show  you  are  capable  of 
filling  the  place  for  which  his  Lordship 
intends  you." 

"  We  will  talk  further  of  this  on  the 
morrow,"  said  Gian  Galeazzo.  "  I  hope 
until  that  time,  and  indeed  until  this 
matter  can  be  decided,  that  you  will  be 
my  guest.  I  infer  that  such  an  arrange- 
ment will  not  be  unacceptable  to  you,  for 
I  take  it  for  granted  from  your  reference 


I  enter  Service  of  the  Lord  of  Pavia    33 

to  your  father  that  you  are  no  longer  living 
at  home." 

I  assented  with  expressions  of  gratitude 
to  his  Lordship's  proposal  that  I  abide  at 
the  palace,  and  having  bidden  him  and  Del 
Verme  good  night,  followed  the  page,  who 
was  now  summoned,  to  a  sleeping-apart- 
ment in  another  portion  of  the  great  build- 
ing. Here  a  serving-man  brought  me  a 
light  refreshment  of  spiced  cakes  and  wine, 
and  here,  after  the  exciting  scenes  of  the 
evening  had  slipped  by  slow  degrees  from 
my  brain,  I  passed  a  restful  night,  although 
companioned  by  many  dreams. 


Chapter  IV 
The  Proving  of  a  Guardsman 

I  WAS  awakened  the  next  morning 
by  a  stir  in  the  courtyard  upon 
which  the  single  window  of  my  apartment 
looked,  and  rose  hurriedly  to  see  what  was 
taking  place.  I  found  several  groups  of 
men-at-arms  had  gathered,  many  lackeys 
were  hurrying  to  and  fro,  and  in  and  out 
through  the  palace  gateway  was  passing 
a  stream  of  soldiers  of  all  conditions. 
Ashamed  that  I  had  so  overslept,  I  hast- 
ened to  dress  myself.  Before  I  had  finished, 
the  serving-man  who  had  waited  upon  me 
the  night  before  entered,  bearing  my  break- 
fast. He  announced  that  his  Lordship 
would  see  me  sometime  late  in  the  morn- 
ing, and  that  in  the  meanwhile  he  hoped 
I  would  amuse  myself  among  the  soldiers 
in  the  courtyard. 

34 


The  Proving  of  a  Guardsman      35 

When  I  had  eaten,  I  made  way,  although 
not  without  considerable  perplexity,  owing 
to  the  deviousness  of  the  hallways,  to  the 
open  air.  A  bustling  scene  met  my  eyes 
as  I  halted  a  moment  in  the  doorway  be- 
fore mingling  with  the  soldiery.  The  ap- 
pearance of  the  place  was  that  of  a  camp 
before  battle,  rather  than  that  of  the  court- 
yard of  a  Signer  supposedly  at  peace  with 
his  neighbors.  Some  of  the  men  were  bur- 
nishing their  steel  headpieces,  others  their 
body  armor ;  some  were  sharpening  their 
lances  or  pikes,  others  were  putting  a 
keener  edge  on  their  swords.  Laughter  and 
jests  and  oaths  added  to  the  noise  of 
weapons  and  armor.  The  guttural  Ger- 
man, the  vivacious  French,  and  our  own 
mellow  speech  blended  in  a  curious  and 
bewildering  medley. 

I  was  peering  about  among  the  various 
groups,  endeavoring  to  catch  a  glimpse  of 
the  German  officer  whose  acquaintance  I 
had  made  on  the  previous  evening,  when 
my  presence  was  noticed  by  half  a  dozen 
troopers  who  were  lounging  quite  near, 
seemingly  more  idle  than  the  rest. 


36  A  Man-at-Arms 

"  Good  morrow,  Sir  Pretty  Clothes  ! " 
called  one  of  them,  his  accent  betraying 
his  northland  birth. 

Though  I  had  been  thoughtful  enough 
to  leave  my  gay  cloak  behind,  and  to  put 
off  some  of  my  other  finery,  I  realized 
that  my  fashionable  attire  was  inappropri- 
ate for  the  hour  and  place,  and  so  an- 
swered this  greeting  with  perfect  good 
nature. 

"  See  him  smile !  "  cried  another  of  the 
troopers,  speaking  in  Germa-n.  "  Is  he 
not  like  a  puppet  in  a  booth  ?  You  pull 
a  string,  and  he  rolls  his  eyes  to  heaven ; 
you  pull  another,  and  he  smirks  for  you 
most  maiden-like." 

"By  St.  Christopher!"  a  third  ex- 
claimed, in  the  same  tongue,  "it  is  maid- 
en-like he  is.  Look  at  those  cheeks. 
Apricots  have  not  a  lovelier  flush,  and  as 
for  the  hair,  many  a  maid  would  be  envi- 
ous of  that  gold." 

"  Gold  !  "  shouted  he  who  had  spoken 
first,  moving  toward  me,  followed  by  the 
others ;  "  sheep's  tallow  is  the  hue  to 
match  it." 


The  Proving  of  a  Guardsman      37 

This  fellow,  an  under-officer,  as  I  saw 
by  his  attire,  in  spite  of  his  good  looks 
( he  had  regular  features  and  keen  eyes ), 
contrived  to  assume  a  most  insulting  man- 
ner. He  stopped  in  front  of  me,  spread 
his  legs  wide  apart,  puffed  out  his  lips,  and 
stared  at  my  hair,  cocking  his  head  first 
upon  one  side  and  then  upon  the  other, 
muttering  the  while, — 

"  Tallow  !  tallow  !  by  every  saint  in  the 
calendar,  or  my  name  is  not  Otto  von 
Ettergarde^  I'll  lay  you  a  florin,"  he 
cried,  addressing  one  of  his  companions, 
"it's  nearer  to  tallow  than  gold." 

I  was  quite  at  a  loss  what  to  do.  To 
stand  there  and  be  further  the  butt  of  the 
German  troopers  was  as  far  from  my  lik- 
ing as  it  was  from  my  intention,  but  how 
to  avoid  them  puzzled  me.  Retreat  into 
the  palace  I  would  not,  and  yet  if  I 
attempted  to  pass  through  the  courtyard, 
I  felt  that  they  were  likely  to  follow. 
This  last,  however,  appeared  to  be  my 
only  choice.  I  had  no  wish  to  pick  a 
quarrel  with  any  of  them,  for  fear  of 
incurring  Gian  Galeazzo's  displeasure,  so 


38  A  Man- at- Arms 

springing  swiftly  to  one  side,  I  had  eluded 
them  before  they  were  aware  of  my  inten- 
tion, and  began  threading  my  way  between 
the  other  groups  toward  the  gateway  that 
led  into  the  piazza.  For  an  instant  I 
thought  I  had  done  with  them,  but  ere- 
long I  heard  several  of  them  hot  at  my 
heels. 

"  Stay,  my  sweet  maid-face  ! "  cried  he 
who  had  declared  himself  to  be  Otto 
von  Ettergarde,  breaking  out  in  Italian. 
"  Tarry,  my  fair  candle-locks. !  By  my 
faith,  you  are  well  named,  for  you  run  as 
nimbly  as  your  same  stinking  tallow  in 
hot  weather." 

"  Assuredly,"  I  said  to  myself,  "  this 
pestilent  fellow  is  growing  to  be  most 
offensive  !  "  but  I  still  kept  to  my  resolve 
to  pay  no  heed  to  him. 

He,  having  evidently  determined  to  see 
to  what  lengths  he  could  push  me,  now 
overstepped  the  mark,  for  he  slipped  for- 
ward, caught  my  lifted  foot  in  his,  and  all 
but  tripped  me  upon  my  face.  In  fact,  I 
only  saved  myself  from  sprawling  at  full 
length  upon  the  stones  of  the  courtyard 


The  Proving  of  a  Guardsman      39 

by  clutching  hold  of  a  big  trooper  near  at 
hand  who  was  burnishing  his  breastplate, 
causing  him  to  drop  this  with  a  great  clat- 
ter upon  the  pavement. 

"  God's  wounds  ! "  cried  he,  drawing 
back  as  though  he  would  fetch  me  a  buf- 
fet ;  "what  do  you  mean  ?  " 

I  saw  his  good  nature  in  his  counte- 
nance, and  felt  sure  that  I  could  pacify 
him  ;  as  for  the  others,  I  cared  not  now 
what  I  said. 

"  I  crave  your  pardon  most  earnestly," 
I  began,  "  and  beg  you  to  believe  that  I 
had  no  intention  of  making  you  drop  your 
armor.  These  insolent  fellows,"  I  ex- 
claimed, turning  on  von  Ettergarde  and 
his  companions,  who  stood  by,  grinning  at 
my  discomfiture,  "  were  the  cause  of  the 
accident.  Because,  forsooth,  I  have  the 
misfortune  to  possess  but  one  suit  of 
clothes,  they  needs  must  mock  at  me,  and 
because  the  color  of  my  hair  is  not  to 
their  taste,  they  needs  must  fleer  at  me, 
dog  my  steps,  and  try  the  scurvy  trick  of 
tripping  me." 

All   this   I    said   in   the   troopers'   own 


40  A  Man-at-Arms 

tongue,  and  blank-faced  most  of  them 
looked  on  a  sudden.  As  for  the  big 
soldier  against  whom  I  had  been 
thrown,  he  immediately  espoused  my 
cause. 

"  Give  over,  von  Ettergarde,"  said  he. 
"  Why  do  you  pester  the  youngster  ?  " 

A  malicious  look  crossed  the  trooper's 
handsome  features  as  he  saw  he  was  likely 
to  be  deprived  of  his  sport. 

"  What's  that  to  you  ?  "  he  cried.  "  I 
thought  Rupert  Hartzheim  made  it  his 
boast  that  he  always  minded  his  own  affairs. 
Hereafter  we  shall  look  to  find  him  acting 
as  sponsor  for  every  young  popinjay  in 
Pavia." 

I  was  now  so  thoroughly  incensed  that 
I  doubt  if  I  should  have  been  able  to  re- 
strain myself  had  the  whole  line  of  the 
Visconti,  from  the  or.iginal  Matteo  down, 
been  ranged  before  me.  I  strode  forward 
and  faced  von  Ettergarde. 

"  While  I  thank  Rupert  Hartzheim,  as 
you  call  him,  for  his  kindly  interest  in  me," 
I  said,  "  I  am  quite  able  to  stand  up  for 
my  own  rights  against  such  a  mannerless 


The  Proving  of  a  Guardsman      41 

knave  as  you,  even  though  you  do  wear 
his  Lordship's  insignia." 

Hartzheim  clutched  me  by  the  arm, 
and  pulled  me  away,  but  von  Ettergarde, 
flushed  and  fierce,  and  growing  more  angry 
each  instant  owing  to  the  outcries  of  those 
who  had  gathered  about  us,  rushed  at  me 
with  drawn  blade. 

"  Softly  !  softly  !  "  said  Hartzheim,  in- 
terposing his  stalwart  bulk  between  us. 
"  You  are  but  getting  a  repayment  in 
your  own  coin." 

"  He  called  me  a  mannerless  knave ! " 
sputtered  my  whilom  tormentor. 

"  I  spoke  only  the  truth,"  cried  I. 
"  You  had  best  let  us  have  it  out,"  I  said 
to  Hartzheim. 

"  There  seems  to  be  no  other  way,"  the 
latter  answered,  looking  from  one  of  us  to 
the  other.  "  But  mark  you,  von  Etter- 
garde," he  said  sternly,  "  if  you  hurt  the 
youngling  fatally,  you  have  me  to  deal  with. 
Choose  your  second,  since  it  must  be  so, 
and  let  the  affair  be  conducted  as  quietly 
as  may  be.  The  garden  will  serve  for  the 
place  of  meeting.  The  morning  is  hardly 


42  A  Man-at-Arms 

old  yet,  and  her  little  ladyship  will  not  be 
abroad.  Give  back  there  !  "  he  called  to 
those  who  were  clustering  about  us. 

I  saw  by  the  way  the  troopers  respected 
his  authority  that  he  was  one  of  some  rank 
among  them,  though  what  I  could  not  dis- 
cover from  his  dress.  He  strode  toward 
the  entrance  by  which  I  had  emerged  into 
the  courtyard,  and  I  followed,  with  von 
Ettergarde  and  his  second  hard  after. 
At  the  doorway  he  halted,  and  bade 
von  Ettergarde  and  his  companion  lead 
on. 

"  I  would  speak  with  the  young  man," 
he  said,  "and  I  doubt  not  that  you  will 
conduct  us  to  the  spot  straight  enough," 
this  last  with  a  meaning  look  which  told 
me  that  my  antagonist  was  no  stranger  to 
these  encounters. 

As  we  moved  along  the  passage  a  few 
paces  in  the  rear  of  the  other  two,  Hartz- 
heim  said,  lowering  his  voice, — 

"  It  is  too  late  now  to  withdraw,  but 
you  had  best  not  endeavor  to  stand  long 
against  him.  He  is  a  most  expert  swords- 
man. Let  him  disarm  you  after  you  have 


The  Proving  of  a  Guardsman      43 

made  a  show  of  resistance,  and  then  I  will 
interfere." 

"  Would  you  counsel  me  to  act  the 
coward  ?  "  said  I. 

"  I  would  save  you  from  harm.  It  is  a 
sin  to  pit  such  as  you  against  such  as  he." 

"  But  I  have  met  my  man  more  than 
once  ere  this  !  " 

"  That  may  be,  but  he  was  never  Otto 
von  Ettergarde." 

My  mind  flew  back  several  months  to 
the  time  when  I  had  last  drawn  blade  in 
the  duello,  and  I  saw  before  me  the  great 
square  of  San  Petronio  in  Bologna,  and 
the  swaggering  bravo  whom  I  had  encoun- 
tered as  I  strolled  back  to  my  lodgings 
through  the  moonlight  from  the  rooms 
of  a  friend.  The  lout  had  been  offering 
some  insult  to  a  defenceless  wench  whose 
cries  arrested  my  steps.  Was  I  likely,  I 
asked  myself,  to  be  harder  pressed  now 
than  then  when  I  needed  all  the  finesse 
taught  me  by  the  best  masters  to  preserve 
a  whole  skin,  for  my  antagonist  proved  to 
be  one  of  the  most  skilful  men-at-arms 
employed  by  the  Bentigvoli  ? 


44  A  Man-at-Arms 

As  I  was  turning  this  over  in  my  mind, 
never  for  a  second  thinking  to  follow 
Hartzheim's  advice,  we  passed  from  the 
dusk  of  the  corridor  into  a  sunny  pleasance 
where  there  were  flowers  in  bloom,  and 
fruit  trees  casting  plots  of  cool  shade,  and 
at  the  bottom  of  which,  near  to  the 
enclosing  wall,  stood  a  vine-embowered 
summer-house.  It  was  here,  as  I  afterward 
learned,  that  Gian  Galeazzo's  daughter, 
Valentina,  she  who  was  afterward  wedded 
to  the  Duke  of  Orleans,  came  to  frolic 
with  her  maids.  Now  to  all  appearances 
the  place  was  deserted,  save  that  the  birds 
were  making  a  tremulous  little  twitter  in 
the  boughs. 

As  we  walked  down  the  privet-bordered 
path  toward  the  summer-house  I  espied 
a  clove-pink,  my  favorite  flower,  growing 
within  reach,  so  I  leaned  over  and  plucked 
it,  and  having  inhaled  two  or  three  whiffs 
of  its  fragrance,  thrust  the  stem  into  one 
of  the  eyelets  of  my  doublet.  When  I 
looked  up  from  arranging  the  blossom  I 
was*  aware  that  Hartzheim  was  regarding 
me  curiously. 


The  Proving  of  a  Guardsman      45 

"  By  the  mass !  "  said  he,  "  but  you  are 
the  coolest  youngster  I  ever  fell  in  with." 
Then  he  continued  to  eye  me  to  discover 
if  my  action  were  bravado,  but  he  soon  saw 
that  it  was  not,  and  so  he  was  quite  chirk 
when  we  passed  to  the  rear  of  the  summer- 
house,  where  we  found  a  swarded  open 
space  used  by  the  maids  for  buffet-ball. 
There  were  marks  upon  the  turf  which 
told  of  the  recent  presence  of  heavier  feet, 
and  I  came  to  the  conclusion  that  the  play 
here  practised  was  not  all  of  it  the  innocent 
amusement  of  maids. 

"  Look  out  for  him  !  he  is  a  devil  if 
you  oppose  him  too  long,  and  he  may  have 
no  mercy,"  was  Hartzheim's  last  injunc- 
tion, and  I  knew  he  hoped  to  prevail  upon 
me  to  yield  to  his  advice  and  make  the 
encounter  little  short  of  a  farce. 

That  Hartzheim's  words  were  true,  and 
my  adversary  was  a  devil,  I  speedily  dis- 
covered when  our  weapons  crossed ;  for 
there  came  a  deadly  gleam,  a  cruel  exulta- 
tion, into  his  handsome  eyes.  Blood- 
letting was  evidently  the  man's  delight, 
and  he  thought  me  but  another  mouse  to 


46  A  Man-at-Arms 

be  toyed  with,  and  then  maimed  or  crushed 
at  will.  I  had  never  encountered  just  his 
like,  yet  I  was  in  no  whit  put  out. 

"  Jesu,  a  pretty  counter ! "  I  heard 
Hartzheim  cry,  as  I  turned  aside  a  vicious 
thrust  at  my  left  shoulder,  and  that  was 
the  last  of  his  exclamations  I  can  re- 
call, though  I  was  conscious  from  time  to 
time  that  he  gave  vent  to  some  enthu- 
siastic expression.  How  the  affair  would 
have  ended  I  cannot  say,  for  we  were 
most  evenly  matched,  had  it  not  been 
brought  to  a  close  by  a  most  unlooked- 
for  interruption.  We  were  plying  at  one 
another  with  all  our  energies,  every  nerve 
alert,  anticipating  sudden  changes  of  fence, 
meeting  each  subtle  attack,  when  a  sharp 
"  hold  !  "  startled  us.  A  third  sword  struck 
ours  in  air,  and  between  us  stood  Jacobo 
del  Verme,  scowling,  fierce,  like  an  aveng- 
ing fate.  As  we  started  back  in  amaze- 
ment, letting  the  points  of  our  weapons 
drop  simultaneously  on  the  sward,  a  voice 
that  cut  me  to  the  very  marrow  fell  upon 
my  ears  from  the  direction  of  the  summer- 
house.  As  I  swung  about,  I  caught  the 


The  Proving  of  a  Guardsman      47 

ferret  eyes  of  the  Lord  of  Pavia  full  upon 
me. 

"  Very  pretty  play,  gentlemen,  very 
pretty  play,  upon  my  word,"  said  he,  and 
he  laughed  with  a  glee  which  I  could  not 
fathom. 

I  was  expecting  that  he  would  dismiss 
me  with  scathing  words  for  allowing  my- 
self to  be  drawn  into  a  quarrel  on  the 
very  morning  when  he  had  bidden  me  to 
another  interview  with  him,  but  he  came 
forward  and  clapped  me  upon  the  arm. 

"Bravo!"  he  cried.  "I  am  proud  to 
appoint  you  to  the  lieutenancy  in  the 
palace  guard.  Von  Ettergarde,"  he  con- 
tinued, "  you  played  your  part  bravely, 
and  shall  not  be  forgotten.  Give  your 
hand  to  Luigi  della  Verria." 

The  German  could  scarce  do  otherwise 
than  obey ;  and  though  I  now  realized  that 
the  quarrel  had  been  put  upon  me  by 
previous  arrangement,  and  should  have 
borne  the  man  no  ill-will  for  acting  under 
orders,  it  was  with  an  inward  protest  that 
I  took  his  hand,  while  in  his  eyes  I  read 
that  he  would  have  fallen  to  sword-play 


48  A  Man-at-Arms 

again  with  far  greater  liking  than  to  hand- 
shaking. 

In  this  strange  manner  was  my  fitness 
for  a  guardsman's  office  proved. 

"A  deep  one,  his  Lordship,  though  he 
may  not  look  it,"  said  Rupert  Hartzheim 
to  me,  as  we  walked  side  by  side  out  of 
the  pleasance. 


Chapter    V 

My   First  Outriding 

MY  duties  as  lieutenant  of  the 
palace  guard  were  not  arduous. 
Most  of  my  orders  came  directly  from 
Gian  Galeazzo  himself,  rather  than  from 
the  captain  under  whose  nominal  author- 
ity I  acted.  Little  by  little,  as  the 
weeks  lapsed,  I  found  myself  becom- 
ing the  confidential  messenger  of  the 
Lord  of  Pavia,  the  one  through  whom 
he  issued  his  commands,  the  one  to 
whom  he  entrusted  various  communica- 
tions. 

As  if  by  tacit  agreement  von  Etter- 
garde  and  I  avoided  one  another.  We 
were  both  aware  that  any  renewal  of  our 
quarrel  would  draw  upon  us  the  wrath  of 
the  Visconti,  in  whose  favor  we  both  de- 

E  49 


50  A   Man-at-Arms 

sired  to  sun  ourselves,  for  it  began  to 
be  patent  that  there  was  some  unusual 
undertaking  towards.  Of  Rupert  Hartz- 
heim,  however,  I  saw  much.  He  was  my 
senior  by  fully  twenty  years,  and  a  kind- 
lier nature  God  never  planted  in  his  great 
human  garden.  This  good  friend  taught 
me  horsemanship,  in  which  I  was  sadly 
deficient,  and  instructed  me  in  the  use 
of  the  lance. 

I  came  in  daily  contact  with  the  Lord 
of  Pavia,  and  yet  I  never  seemed  to  get 
nearer  to  him  than  at  first.  His  was  an 
inscrutable  mind.  Strive  as  I  would  to 
grasp  his  motives,  I  was  ever  eluded. 
Now  he  would  appear  immersed  in  chari- 
ties, in  the  talk  of  the  schools,  and  the 
next  time  I  encountered  him  he  would 
be  in  close  consultation  with  Del  Verme 
over  some  matter  that  I  knew  had  to  do 
with  things  military.  I  soon  discovered, 
too,  that  he  kept  a  keen  watch  over  the 
condition  of  affairs  in  neighboring  princi- 
palities. He  had  agents  in  Milan,  in 
Mantua,  in  Verona.  His  treatment  of 
me  was  in  every  respect  gracious.  He 


My   First  Outriding  51 

went  so  far  as  to  interest  himself  in 
attempting  to  bring  about  a  reconcilia- 
tion between  my  father  and  myself,  in 
which,  however,  he  was  far  from  success- 
ful, my  enraged  parent  assuring  him  that 
he  was  glad  to  be  rid  of  a  son  who 
deported  himself  with  such  obstinacy  and 
ingratitude. 

One  morning,  a  month  after  my  meet- 
ing with  von  Ettergarde,  I  was  sum- 
moned into  Gian  Galeazzo's  presence.  I 
found  him  in  the  small  closet  where  he 
had  received  me  the  night  I  had  first 
visited  the  palace,  and,  as  on  the  previous 
occasion,  Del  Verme  was  with  him. 

When  I  appeared  he  scarcely  gave  me 
time  to  make  my  greetings,  but  broached 
the  subject  he  had  in  his  thought  at 
once. 

"  I  have  not  been  disappointed  in  you, 
Delia  Verria,"  he  said,  "  and  I  am  now 
going  to  try  you  further  in  an  affair  where 
you  will  be  obliged  to  use  your  head  as 
well  as  your  hands.  If  you  carry  this 
through  creditably,  and  Del  Verme  agrees 
with  me  that  you  will,  I  shall  store  it 


52  A  Man-at-Arms 

up  in  my  remembrance  as  a  debt  to  be 
one  day  balanced.  What  you  are  to  do 
is  this.  In  the  employ  of  the  Marquis 
of  Mantua  is  a  captain  named  Gerino 
Ardotti.  This  soldier  I  wish  to  enlist 
under  my  banner.  You  are  to  seek  him 
out  wherever  he  may  be.  Should  you 
find  he  is  not  in  Mantua,  discover  whither 
he  has  gone,  follow  him,  and  submit  to 
him  my  proposal ;  namely,  that  if  he  will 
join  my  company,  his  pay  shall  be  five 
florins  per  month  more  than  whatever 
he  may  now  be  receiving.  Indeed,  I 
would  double  that  offer  rather  than  not 
secure  his  services.  In  conducting  this 
negotiation  your  adroitness  will  be  put 
to  a  test,  for  you  have  a  grasping  old 
war-dog  to  deal  with.  I  would  impress 
upon  you  the  necessity  of  the  greatest 
caution  should  you  by  any  chance  be 
questioned  in  regard  to  affairs  here  at 
Pavia.  See  that  you  sustain  my  reputa- 
tion, which  is  that  of  a  man  devoted  to 
studies,  reforms,  and  charities.  Bear  in 
mind,  too,  that  it  is  often  convenient  to 
have  the  plea  of  ignorance  ready  if  an 


My   First  Outriding  53 

awkward  query  be  put  to  you.  Now  go. 
Del  Verme  will  tell  you  that  a  trusty 
messenger  is  one  who  rides  in  haste." 

I  saluted  the  two  men  gravely,  and 
strode  toward  the  door. 

"One  moment,"  said  his  Lordship. 
"  The  horse  you  have  been  recently  using 
is  from  this  time  yours.  I  would  that  you 
should  go  well  mounted." 

My  delight  showed  upon  my  face. 
Hawkwood,  as  I  had  christened  the  fine 
bay  I  had  been  riding,  from  my  admira- 
tion of  the  noted  English  captain,  was  a 
splendid  animal,  one  which  any  soldier 
might  be  proud  to  possess. 

"  You  are  most  gracious ! "  I  ex- 
claimed. "  Neither  horse  nor  rider  shall 
fail  you." 

Within  half  an  hour  I  was  in  the  sad- 
dle. As  I  passed  through  the  piazza  I 
encountered  von  Ettergarde,  and  could 
not  resist  casting  upon  him  a  scornful  and 
exultant  look.  I  had  a  feeling  that  he 
followed  my  progress  through  the  square 
with  jealous  and  resentful  eyes,  and  en- 
joyed what  I  considered  to  be  my  tri- 


54  A  Man-at-Arms 

umph.     Such  is  ever  the  foolish  spirit  of 
youth. 

I  cannot  recall  that  any  ride  taken  in 
after  years  afforded  me  quite  the  fine 
pleasure  that  did  this  first  day's  outgoing 
upon  my  quest.  Was  I  not  the  trusted 
messenger  of  a  great  lord,  —  one  who, 
though  not  thus  looked  upon  by  his 
neighbors,  was  in  reality  great,  or  at  least 
so  I  told  myself?  Had  I  not  a  spirited 
animal  beneath  me,  one  that  obeyed 
every  turn  of  the  rein,  and  responded  to 
every  pressure  of  the  knee  ?  For  the 
time  being  I  wholly  forgot  my  family 
troubles,  and  lost  myself  in  the  sunshine, 
in  the  enjoyment  of  the  fresh  green  of 
growing  things,  and  in  dreams  of  the 
career  that  seemed  to  be  so  auspiciously 
opening  before  me. 

I  slept  that  night  at  Cremona,  and  late 
the  afternoon  of  the  following  day  rode 
through  the  landward  gate  of  Mantua, 
which  is  over  against  the  former  city. 
Having  sought  out  a  quiet  inn  and  seen 
to  Hawkwood's  comfort,  I  hastened  to 
remove  the  dust  from  my  garments ;  and 


My   First  Outriding  55 

then,  after  having  refreshed  myself  with  a 
bottle  of  wine  and  a  small  pasty,  inquired 
the  way  to  the  house  of  a  friend  whom  I 
had  known  at  the  University.  By  good 
fortune  he  was  within-  and  gave  me  a  most 
cordial  welcome,  insisting  that  I  bring  my 
few  belongings  from  the  public  house  and 
bide  for  the  night  beneath  his  father's 
roof.  This  I  was  pleased  to  do,  after 
having  charged  the  innkeeper  that  my 
steed  have  the  best  of  care. 

As  my  master  had  not  given  me  the 
address  of  his  Mantuan  agent,  I  con- 
cluded that  it  was  his  desire  that  I  should 
not  enter  into  communication  with  him, 
and  resolved  to  ascertain  through  my 
friend  if  the  man  who  was  the  object  of 
my  journey  were  in  the  city,  and  provided 
he  were,  where  he  might  that  evening  be 
found.  I  did  not  wish,  if  I  could  avoid 
it,  to  seek  him  personally  at  the  palace  of 
the  Marquis. 

I  revealed  to  my  former  University 
comrade  no  more  than  suited  my  purpose 
in  regard  to  my  change  of  fortune.  He, 
however,  not  knowing  my  father's  senti- 


56  A  Man-at-Arms 

ments,  was  in  no  way  surprised  that  I  had 
abandoned  jurisprudence  for  the  profes- 
sion of  arms ;  and,  since  I  had,  he  ap- 
peared to  take  it  as  perfectly  natural  that 
I  should  have  a  mission  with  Gerino 
Ardotti,  whom  he  knew  as  a  captain  of 
note,  and  whose  whereabouts  he  readily 
agreed  to  ascertain.  It  was  doubtless  fort- 
unate for  me  that  my  friend  was  neither 
inquisitive  nor  suspicious,  else  he  might 
have  wondered  what  I,  confessedly  in 
the  service  of  the  Lord  of  Pavia,  could 
have  for  the  ear  of  one  of  the  officers  of 
Francesco  da  Gonzaga. 

Dinner  over,  my  friend  left  me  to  the 
tender  mercies  of  his  father,  a  wealthy 
burgher  whose  soul  was  wrapt  up  in  his 
mercantile  ventures,  while  he  sallied  out 
to  do  my  errand.  I  was  beginning  to  be 
consumed  with  ennui  at  the  discourse  of 
the  worthy  Mantuan  when  my  friend  re- 
turned, and  bore  me  off  with  him  to  a 
promenade  on  the  Lago  di  Mezzo. 

"Your  warrior  is  abroad  on  business 
for  the  Marquis,"  said  he,  as  we  emerged 
into  the  street.  "  I  learned  the  fact  from 


My   First  Outriding  57 

one  of  my  acquaintances  among  the  sol- 
diers at  the  Castello.  The  man  was  sure 
he  had  gone  to  Brescia,  and  might  not 
return  for  a  number  of  days." 

"To  Brescia!"  said  I,  with  no  little 
disappointment  in  my  tone,  for  I  had 
hoped  to  find  Ardotti  without  further 
search. 

"  Yes,"  answered  my  friend  ;  "  but  why 
should  you  be  down-hearted  ?  You  know 
that  it  will  give  me  the  greatest  pleasure 
to  have  you  with  me  until  the  captain 
returns.  I  think  I  can  promise  you  that 
the  time  will  not  be  dull." 

My  mind  reverted,  I  acknowledge  it 
to  my  shame,  to  my  late  conversation  with 
my  comrade's  father.  That  assuredly  had 
not  been  exciting. 

"  You  know,"  I  said,  "  how  pleased  I 
should  be  to  tarry  with  you,  but  unfortu- 
nately my  orders  are  imperative.  I  must 
be  off  on  the  track  of  Messer  Ardotti 
on  the  morrow.  Your  informant  did  not 
by  any  chance  let  fall  where  the  worthy 
captain  is  likely  to  be  found  in  Brescia  ? " 

"Ah,  but   he   did!     At  the  house  of 


58  A   Man-at-Arms 

Vincenzo  Canaro.  That,  it  seems,  is  why 
the  bold  man  of  war  is  likely  to  linger. 
His  host  keeps  a  generous  larder,  and 
the  Signor  Capitano  loves  a  stuffed  capon 
better  than  he  loves  a  quarrel." 

"  Canaro  !  Canaro  !  "  I  repeated.  The 
name  sounded  familiar,  and  yet  I  could 
not  for  the  instant  recall  in  what  connec- 
tion I  had  heard  it. 

"Yes,"  returned  my  friend.  "This 
was  one  of  the  richest  and  most  power- 
ful families  in  Brescia  before  the  Brusati, 
whose  allies  they  were,  were  dispossessed 
of  the  lordship  of  the  city  by  the  Visconti. 
Vincenzo  is  the  last  male  descendant  of 
the  house." 

What  mission  can  Ardotti,  a  captain 
in  the  employ  of  the  Marquis  of  Mantua, 
have  with  the  last  of  the  house  of  Canaro 
who  owes  allegiance  to  Bernabo  Visconti, 
Lord  of  Milan  ?  thought  I.  It  was  evi- 
dent that  some  sort  of  an  intrigue  was 
on  foot,  whether  for  good  or  ill  I  was 
unable  to  conjecture,  though  it  seemed 
likely  the  former,  since  I  had  come  to 
regard  any  combination  which  tended 


My   First  Outriding  59 

toward  the  defeat  of  the  schemes  of  the 
detestable  uncle  of  my  master  not  only 
righteous  but  just. 

I  fear  my  friend  found  me  but  a  stupid 
companion  that  evening,  for  his  informa- 
tion had  started  a  distracting  train  of 
queries  in  my  mind,  and  made  me  indif- 
ferent to  the  gayeties  of  Mantua's  most 
fashionable  promenade. 

I  was  up  betimes  the  next  morning, 
on  the  plea  of  haste,  and  was  bidding 
my  friend  adieu  at  the  door  of  the  inn 
whither  he  had  accompanied  me  just  as 
the  good  folk  of  the  city  were  beginning 
to  stir  abroad. 

When  I  passed  into  Brescia  there  were 
yet  fully  three  hours  of  the  afternoon 
remaining,  and  I  resolved  to  seek  out 
the  residence  of  Vincenzo  Canaro  without 
delay.  As  I  progressed  toward  the  centre 
of  the  town,  I  began  to  see  indications  of 
a  great  bustle  in  the  streets.  Houses  and 
shops  were  decorated  with  gay  streamers, 
and  on  inquiring  the  reason  for  the  stir 
and  the  display  I  learned  that  it  was  the 
fete-day  of  our  Lady  of  Brescia.  When 


60  A  Man-at-Arms 

I  came  to  seek  for  accommodations  for 
myself  and  Hawkwood,  I  discovered,  to 
my  chagrin,  that  the  best  inns  were  filled 
to  overflowing,  and  it  was  only  after  a 
protracted  search  that  I  hit  upon  a  little 
hostelry  just  off  the  Piazza  Vecchia,  where, 
for  an  exorbitant  sum,  I  secured  for  my- 
self a  tiny  room  high  up  under  the  roof, 
and  for  my  steed  a  dark  corner  in  an  ill- 
kept  stable.  It  was  useless  to  grumble, 
so  I  determined  to  make  the  best  of  the 
situation. 

I  had  descended  the  stairs,  and  was 
about  entering  the  street,  not  choosing 
to  inquire  the  whereabouts  of  the  Canaro 
house  at  the  inn,  when  I  encountered  the 
landlord,  a  suave,  obsequious  person,  ab- 
normally spare,  with  hands  that  made  me 
think  of  a  hawk's  talons.  He  had  just 
come  from  the  small  wine-room,  which  I 
saw  was  crowded  with  customers.  He 
renewed  his  regrets  that  he  was  not  able 
to  see  me  better  bestowed,  and  asked  if 
there  were  anything  further  he  could  do 
which  would  add  to  my  comfort.  I  as- 
sured him  that  there  was  nothing,  and 


My   First  Outriding  61 

started  to  pass  on,  when  he  a  second  time 
arrested  my  steps,  in  this  instance  with 
a  request  that  I  try  his  wine,  which  he 
boasted  to  be  from  a  choice  vintage. 
Thirsty  from  my  long  ride,  and  telling 
myself  that  it  was  always  well  to  be  on 
good  terms  with  "  mine  host,"  I  assented, 
and  followed  him  into  the  room  from 
which  he  had  emerged.  The  company, 
though  oddly  assorted,  was  perfectly  or- 
derly. Most  of  the  men  were  seated 
upon  rude  benches  about  rough  tables, 
though  a  few  were  leaning  against  the 
smoke-blackened  walls.  There  chanced 
to  be  a  vacant  place  at  a  small  table  in 
one  corner,  and  this  the  landlord  pressed 
me  to  take. 

"  These  gentlemen  will  not  mind,  I'm 
sure,"  he  said,  addressing  two  men  who 
were  here  seated,  looking  indifferently 
about  them,  keeping  constantly  a  tight 
grip  upon  two  huge  beakers  as  though 
they  feared  these  objects,  unless  thus  re- 
strained, might  take  unto  themselves  legs 
and  walk  away.  They  assented  civilly 
enough,  and  the  landlord  left  to  go  him- 


62  A   Man-at-Arms 

self  in  pursuit  of  the  wine,  his  assistants 
being  occupied. 

That  the  two  men  at  the  table  were 
not  civilians  I  saw  at  a  glance,  although 
this  was  what  their  dress,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  their  swords,  would  have  led  one 
to  infer.  Both  had  hard,  shrewd,  unscru- 
pulous faces,  and  I  noticed  their  hands  as 
they  clasped  their  drinking-cups  were  large 
and  muscular. 

"You  have  had  a  long  ride,"  said  one 
of  them,  as  I  leaned  back  and  stretched 
my  limbs,  endeavoring  to  find  an  easy  po- 
sition, for  the  bench  was  anything  but  a 
comfortable  seat.  "  I  noticed  your  horse 
as  you  halted  at  the  door." 

"Yes,  something  of  a  ride,"  I  replied, 
not  liking  the  manner  of  the  men. 

"  So  had  we  but  yesterday,"  the  other 
remarked. 

"  Perhaps  the  young  Signore  is,  like  us, 
a  stranger  at  the  fete  of  our  Lady  of  Bres- 
cia ?  "  said  the  first  speaker. 

Both  looked  at  me  questioningly,  and  I 
was  compelled  to  confess  that  I  was. 

"  Doubtless    you    have    a    similar    gala 


"  For  some  reason  these  three  men  were  endeavoring  to 
draw  me  out."  —  Page  63 


My  First  Outriding  63 

day  at  your  home  in  honor  of  some  patron 
saint,"  the  other  said. 

To  this  observation  I  did  not  feel  com- 
pelled to  reply,  as  I  saw  the  landlord  ap- 
proaching with  my  draught.  When  he 
had  set  it  before  me,  instead  of  retiring,  he 
stood  by  and  joined  in  the  conversation, 
which  took  a  turn  that  very  speedily 
aroused  my  suspicions.  For  some  reason 
these  three  men,  the  landlord  and  the  two 
who  had  declared  themselves  to  be  strang- 
ers in  Brescia,  were  endeavoring  to  draw 
me  out,  —  to  discover  from  whence  I 
came.  I  had  been  cautious  in  my  replies 
before  I  arrived  at  this  conclusion,  but  I 
was  doubly  so  afterward,  and  I  flatter  my- 
self for  one  unschooled  in  the  art  of  eva- 
sion I  acquitted  myself  well.  Finally, 
having  finished  my  wine,  I  bade  the  two 
men  a  polite  "  good  day,"  and  without  any 
undue  haste,  glad  though  I  was  to  be  out 
of  their  company,  sought  the  street. 


Chapter  VI 
In  a  Brescia  Garden 

ONCE  out  of  sight  of  the  inn,  I 
lost  no  time  in  quickening  my 
pace,  and  was  soon  mingling  with  the 
gay  crowd  that  thronged  the  Piazza 
Vecchia.  I  had  a  feeling  that  I  might  be 
followed,  though  why  any  one  should  wish 
to  dog  my  footsteps  I  could  not  conject- 
ure. My  recent  experience  was  an  enigma 
to  me.  Had  I  stumbled  into  a  den  of 
cutpurses  where  the  landlord  was  in 
league  with  the  plunderers,  or  were  these 
men  of  the  inn  the  political  agents  of 
Bernabo  Visconti,  watchful  in  his  interest, 
and  on  the  lookout  for  messengers  from 
some  rival  lord  to  those  in  Brescia  who 
might  be  conspiring  against  the  Milan 
tyrant  ?  The  latter  was  by  far  the  more 
64 


In  a  Brescia  Garden  65 

likely  solution  to  the  riddle,  and  I  deter- 
mined if  I  found  Ardotti,  whether  I  was 
successful  in  bringing  to  pass  my  master's 
wishes  or  not,  I  would  relate  to  him  my 
experience.  He  might  be  able  to  shed 
some  light  upon  the  matter. 

Under  most  circumstances  I  should 
have  taken  a  hearty  pleasure  in  the  pictu- 
resque scene  which  the  piazza  presented. 
At  one  end  of  the  square  a  party  of  mum- 
mers were  acting,  in  a  sort  of  dumb  show, 
various  scenes  from  the  life  of  the  blessed 
lady  in  whose  memory  the  fete  was  given. 
The  booths  of  the  confetti-sellers  were 
plentifully  dotted  about,  and  masquers 
and  buffoons  were  at  their  mad  pranks 
wherever  the  throng  was  densest.  There 
was  an  infinite  variety  of  costume,  and  no 
garb,  however  eccentric,  appeared  to  at- 
tract special  notice. 

As  I  threaded  my  way  through  this 
motley  gathering,  I  began  to  wonder  to 
whom  I  had  best  apply  for  information  in 
regard  to  the  location  of  the  house  of 
Vincenzo  Canaro.  After  reflecting  for  a 
little,  it  occurred  to  me  that  probably  any 


66  A  Man-at-Arms 

of  the  larger  tradesmen  would  be  able  to 
tell  me  what  I  wished  to  know,  and  I 
directed  my  steps  toward  that  side  of  the 
square  where  the  more  imposing  shops 
were  situated.  I  had  just  made  up  my 
mind  to  enter  one,  that  of  a  fruiterer  and 
general  provision  merchant,  when,  on 
turning  to  glance  about  me,  I  found 
myself  face  to  face  with  the  two  men  of 
the  inn. 

"  Ah,  we  meet  again  ! "  cried  one  of 
them,  with  an  attempt  at  affability.  "  A 
gay  sight,  is  it  not  ? "  and  he  waved  his 
hand  toward  the  human  mass  now  pushing 
excitedly  toward  a  tumbler  who  was  giving 
an  exhibition  of  his  skill  in  the  centre  of 
the  piazza. 

Perturbed  and  annoyed  as  I  was  by  this 
encounter,  I  restrained  my  inclination  to 
answer  rudely,  and  made  reply  that  I 
found  it  most  interesting.  With  that  I 
sauntered  on,  wondering  if  it  were  to  be 
my  fate  to  encounter  these  individuals  at 
every  turn.  I  had  no  further  doubt  in 
regard  to  the  profession  of  the  men. 
They  were  bravos.  They  could  not 


In  a   Brescia  Garden  67 

conceal  their  swaggering  martial  carriage 
under  the  garb  of  men  of  peace. 

Noting  a  thoroughfare  of  considerable 
width  from  which  quite  a  stream  of  pleas- 
urers  was  debouching  into  the  square,  I 
made  my  way  toward  it,  not  venturing  to 
glance  behind  me  until  I  had  reached  the 
corner.  My  single  look  revealed  to  me 
no  sign  that  I  had  been  followed,  and  not 
thinking  it  advisable  to  seem  suspicious 
and  watchful  in  case  I  had  been,  without 
hesitation  I  plunged  into  the  stream  of 
passers,  won  through  them,  and  entered 
the  first  door  I  came  to,  that  of  a  little 
shop  which  proved  to  be  the  stall  of  a 
bookseller.  I  could  not  have  been  more 
fortunate,  for  when  I  mentioned  the 
name  of  Vincenzo  Canaro,  the  proprie- 
tor's wizened  face  lighted  up  with  evident 
pleasure. 

"  The  Signore  is  a  most  excellent  cus- 
tomer of  mine,"  he  said.  "  His  house  ? 
certainly  !  It  is  quite  near."  Then  he 
proceeded  to  give  me  careful  instructions 
as  to  how  I  might  most  quickly  reach  it. 
In  five  minutes  I  was  at  the  door. 


68  A  Man-at-Arms 

The  palace  —  for  palace  it  was  —  at  that 
time  occupied  by  the  last  of  the  Canari, 
was  situated  in  a  quiet  street  where  the 
noise  of  the  fete  penetrated  but  faintly. 
While  I  stood  contemplating  the  family 
arms  above  the  entrance,  the  porter  ap- 
peared. 

"  Is  the  Captain  Gerino  Ardotti  stop- 
ping here  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  He  is,"  was  the  answer. 

"  May  I  see  him  for  a  few  moments  ? 
Say  to  him,  that  I  come  from  a  distance, 
on  a  mission  of  much  importance."  ^ 

"  I  will  inquire  if  the  captain  will  see 
you.  Step  within." 

Before  I  had  passed  into  the  courtyard 
I  cast  my  eyes  up  and  down  the  street. 
No  one  was  standing  near,  but  in  the  dis- 
tance, at  the  corner  of  a  crossing  thorough- 
fare, several  loiterers  were  visible.  It  was 
impossible,  however,  to  say  if  the  men  of 
the  inn  were  of  the  number. 

In  a  large  reception-room  on  the  second 
floor  of  the  palace  I  awaited  the  return  of 
the  servant.  I  was  not  kept  long,  for 
presently  he  appeared,  saying  that  the 


In  a  Brescia  Garden  69 

captain  would  be  with  me  at  once.  Hardly 
had  he  delivered  his  message  when  there 
were  heavy  steps  without,  and  a  man  of 
florid  countenance  and  well-rounded  build 
entered  the  room.  From  what  I  had 
heard  of  him  at  Mantua  I  judged  Ardotti 
to  be  one  of  self-indulgent  disposition,  a 
lover  of  the  good  things  of  life,  and  his 
appearance  told  me  I  was  not  mistaken. 
Yet  back  of  his  jovial  air  and  love  of  ease 
there  was,  as  I  was  presently  to  discover, 
a  vast  deal  of  shrewdness  and  much  real 
feeling.  I  arrived  at  an  agreement  with 
him  more  readily  than  I  anticipated ;  still, 
on  the  whole,  he  acted  in  accordance  with 
the  grasping  reputation  my  master  had 
given  him. 

"  I  must  look  out  for  myself,"  he  said. 
"  If  I  do  not,  who  will  ?  Now  I  have  no 
fault  to  find  with  my  present  employer, 
save  that  he  is  afraid  of  using  his  money. 
I  believe  I  have  served  him  well,  and  am 
persuaded  that  he  would  tell  you  as  much 
should  you  ask  him.  But  why  am  I  bound 
to  continue  in  his  service  when  I  can  mate- 
rially better  myself  elsewhere  ?  I  shall,  of 


yo  A  Man-at-Arms 

course,  endeavor,  to  the  best  of  my  ability, 
to  execute  his  present  commission ;  that 
accomplished,  I  am  at  your  master's  dis- 
posal, and  I  can  promise  him  that  I  will 
be  as  faithful  to  him  as  I  have  been  to  the 
Marquis  of  Mantua  until  "  —  here  he 
paused  and  looked  at  me  shrewdly  — 
"  some  one  values  my  sword  more  highly 
than  he." 

All  this  was  said  after  we  had  come  to 
an  understanding,  and  I  liked  Ardotti  the 
better  for  his  perfect  frankness. 

His  attitude  was  that  of  many  soldiers 
of  fortune.  In  a  time  of  tranquillity  he 
was  perfectly  willing  to  transfer  his  al- 
legiance from  one  lord  to  another,  pro- 
vided he  could  advance  his  interests  by  so 
doing.  If,  however,  there  had  been  open 
hostility  between  Gian  Galeazzo  and  the 
house  of  Gonzaga,  Ardotti  would  have 
been  the  last  man  in  the  world  to  listen  to 
such  a  proposal  as  I  had  made. 

"  How  is  it,"  said  Ardotti  suddenly,  as 
though  it  were  an  afterthought  with  him, 
"  that  my  Lord  of  Pavia  is  so  anxious  to 
add  another  captain  to  his  retainers  ?  His 


In  a  Brescia  Garden  71 

reputation  is  that  of  a  man  of  peace  and 
piety,  and  then  he  has  Del  Verme,  has  he 
not  ? " 

"  Yes,  he  has  Del  Verme,"  I  answered ; 
"  but  it  would  seem  that  even  as  a  man 
of  peace  he  must  have  some  need  of  at 
least  one  other,  else  had  I  not  been  told 
to  seek  out  Gerino  Ardotti  wherever  he 
might  be." 

The  soldier  smiled  at  my  evasion,  and 
the  implied  compliment. 

"  The  Visconti  of  Pavia  has  an  uncle 
who  is  not  only  cruel,  but  ambitious, — 
ambitious,  it  is  rumored,  to  extend  his 
power,"  said  he,  casting  a  swift  look  at  me. 

"  Is  it  so  ?  "  said  I,  with  seeming  sur- 
prise and  interest ;  for,  although  I  was 
perfectly  sure  of  my  man,  we  were  not 
talking  together  in  Pavia,  and  I  had  kept 
constantly  in  mind  my  master's  advice  in 
regard  to  caution.  "  I  am  but  recently 
come  from  my  studies  at  Bologna,  and 
there  these  rumors  you  speak  of  do  not 
come  to  one's  ears." 

Ardotti  took  no  offence  at  my  second 
evasion,  but  cried,  as  he  chuckled  a  little, — 


72  A  Man-at-Arms 

"  There  must  be  some  clever  teachers 
of  discretion  at  Bologna  !  " 

"And  there  are  doubtless  those  at 
Pavia,"  said  I,  rising,  "  who  will  speak 
more  frankly  than  I  have  done." 

"  Stay  !  "  exclaimed  he,  "  where  are  you 
lodging  ?  The  city  is  so  full  of  folk 
come  to  the  fete  that  I  am  surprised  if 
you  have  found  a  place  to  lay  your  head." 

"  I  am  at  the  Two  Falcons.  The 
other  inns  were  full." 

As  I  said  this,  it  came  to  me  that  here 
was  my  opportunity  to  relate  to  him  my 
experience  on  my  arrival,  but  he  cut  in, 
before  I  could  begin,  with,  — 

"  Diavolo  !  I  know  the  place !  The 
landlord  is  a  grasping  wretch,  and  he 
keeps  a  most  pestilent  cook." 

Then  a  sudden  idea  seemed  to  strike 
him. 

"  Sit  down,  sit  down  again ! "  he  ex- 
claimed, and  out  of  the  room  he  went 
with  all  the  impetuosity  of  his  sanguine 
temperament,  leaving  me  in  a  state  bor- 
dering upon  amazement.  I  could  get  no 
clew  in  regard  to  what  his  extraordinary 


In  a  Brescia  Garden  73 

behavior  might  mean,  and  was  still  trying 
to  find  one,  when  I  heard  his  heavy  tread 
upon  the  stairs.  Presently  he  came  puff- 
ing in. 

"  Signer  Canaro,  my  host,  hopes  you 
will  tarry  and  dine  with  us,"  he  said. 
Then,  in  explanation,  "  I  could  not  let 
you  go  back  to  a  vile  dinner  at  that 
wretched  inn." 

"  It  is  most  kind  of  Signer  Canaro, 
and  of  you,"  I  answered.  "  I  shall  be 
delighted  to  stay  if  my  travel-stained  garb 
will  be  pardoned." 

"  You  won't  think  so  much  about  your 
trunks  and  your  doublet  after  you  have 
ridden  twenty-five  years  to  the  wars," 
laughed  he.  "Signor  Canaro  won't  mind, 
and  if"  —  here  he  broke  off.  "Come!" 
he  continued,  moving  toward  the  door. 
"  He  is  awaiting  us  in  the  garden." 

As  I  followed  Ardotti,  a  trifle  surprised 
at  the  perfect  freedom  he  seemed  to  feel 
in  the  stately  house,  I  began  to  wonder 
what  manner  of  man  I  was  about  to  meet. 
He  must  be  of  a  careless,  jovial  type,  I 
told  myself,  in  explanation  of  the  appar- 


74  A  Man-at-Arms 

ent  intimacy  between  him  and  the  cap- 
tain. There  was  little  time  for  this  sort 
of  conjecture,  however ;  for,  after  reaching 
the  palace  courtyard,  a  few  steps  brought 
us  to  a  short  passage  beyond  which  lay  a 
small  but  perfectly  kept  bower  of  green- 
ery. As  we  emerged  into  this  enclosure 
my  conductor  started  as  if  surprised,  and 
for  an  instant  seemed  about  to  stop. 
Then  he  went  on. 

"  Madonna ! "  I  heard  him  mutter 
under  his  breath,  "  the  Signorina  !  " 

Where  one  of  the  paths  expanded  at 
the  centre  of  the  garden  I  caught  the 
flutter  of  a  woman's  garment.  Thither 
the  captain  led  me.  We  found  the  last 
male  scion  of  the  house  of  Canaro  seated 
upon  a  rustic  bench,  a  book  open  upon 
his  knee,  and  near  him  a  girl  whose 
flower-like  beauty  impressed  me  strangely 
the  moment  I  looked  upon  her.  I  was 
presented  in  turn  to  father  and  daughter. 
Vincenzo  Canaro  was  past  middle  life,  a 
slender  man  with  a  face  in  which  refine- 
ment was  the  dominant  characteristic.  I 
fancied  I  detected  a  certain  hesitancy 


The  Signorina  Angela  Canaro.  —  Page  75 


In  a  Brescia  Garden  75 

about  his  eyes,  although  the  lower  part 
of  his  countenance  showed  considerable 
force.  The  expression  of  his  mouth 
when  he  spoke  was  winning  in  the  ex- 
treme, and  his  whole  air  was  that  of 
courtesy  and  fine  breeding.  He  was  in 
every  respect  Ardotti's  opposite,  and  I 
marvelled  what  the  two  could  have  in 
common. 

I  fear  should  I  attempt  fully  to  describe 
Angela  Canaro  as  she  appeared  to  me  that 
day  I  should  be  led  into  hyperbole,  a  dan- 
ger by  no  means  common  with  me.  She 
impressed  me  as  maiden  never  had  done 
before,  and  I  had  seen  many  both  in 
Pavia  and  Bologna.  What  it  was  about 
her  that  appealed  to  me  most  it  would  be 
difficult  to  say.  She  was  one  of  those 
persons  whose  charm  lay  not  in  one  or 
two  attractive  features,  —  the  voice,  the 
eyes,  —  but  in  the  atmosphere  which  radi- 
ated from  her  whole  personality.  When 
she  moved  I  could  but  think  of  the  grace 
of  the  swaying  osier ;  when  she  laughed  it 
was  like — but  stay!  my  pen  is  already 
playing  pranks  with  me. 


76  A  Man-at-Arms 

"  My  friend,  the  captain,  tells  me  you 
are  a  Pavian,"  said  Signer  Canaro,  after 
we  had  exchanged  greetings,  and  were  all 
seated.  "  I  think  I  must  know  your 
father  by  repute.  Has  he  not  written 
upon  jurisprudence  ? " 

I  answered  that  he  had. 

"  You,  I  judge,  are  not  inclined  to  fol- 
low his  example,  in  the  matter  of  a  pro- 
fession," said  the  Brescian,  smilingly. 
"Well,  we  must  have  upholders  of  law  as 
well  as  law-makers." 

The  conversation  for  a  time  was  gen- 
eral, and  I  shortly  learned  that  Signorina 
Canaro  had  but  that  afternoon  returned 
from  a  visit  to  some  of  her  kinsfolk  in 
Verona,  which  accounted  for  Ardotti's 
start  of  surprise  on  beholding  her.  After 
a  little,  one  of  the  reasons  for  the  friendli- 
ness between  the  captain  and  his  host  was 
explained.  Near  where  Signer  Canaro 
was  seated  I  saw  a  small  table  upon  which 
some  chessmen  lay  as  though  a  game  had 
recently  been  in  progress.  This  led  me 
to  remark  that  my  father  was  an  enthu- 
siastic chess-player. 


In  a  Brescia  Garden  77 

"  Doubtless  the  captain  and  I  would 
find  in  him  a  worthy  foe,"  said  Signor 
Canaro.  "  We  are  very  fierce  enemies 
ourselves  —  that  is,  at  chess.  If  the  cap- 
tain is  as  shrewd  on  the  battle-field  as  he 
is  at  the  chess-board,  he  is  a  clever  strate- 
gist who  outwits  him.  We  had  just  fin- 
ished a  game  when  you  called." 

Soon  they  fell  to  discussing  a  certain 
point  of  play  with  great  vehemence,  and  I 
was  left  to  address  my  entire  conversation 
to  the  Signorina,  whereat  I  was  nothing 
loath.  She  had  such  a  frank,  unaffected, 
and  winning  way  that  I  found  myself, 
before  I  was  aware  of  it,  confiding  to  her 
my  hopes  and  my  ambitions.  Something 
in  her  dark  eyes  —  ah!  what  eyes  they 
were  !  —  told  me  that  she  was  interested, 
and  there  are  few  men,  I  care  not  who 
they  may  be,  that  can  resist  when  beauty 
bids  them  speak  about  themselves.  She, 
on  her  part,  revealed  to  me  but  little  of 
her  life,  yet  there  was  one  thing  which  she 
could  not  conceal,  and  this  was  her  innate 
loveliness  of  character.  I  seemed  to  look 
into  her  mind  and  see  only  what  was  fair 


78  A   Man-at-Arms 

and  pure.  One  thing  about  her  surprised 
me.  It  was  a  fleeting  sadness  which  at 
times  crossed  her  face,  a  look  that  had  in 
it  something  like  fear.  By  the  time  din- 
ner was  announced  we  were  upon  quite 
a  friendly  footing,  and  it  was  not  until 
toward  the  close  of  the  meal  that  anything 
occurred  to  mar  an  experience  which  to  me 
had  in  it  both  the  reality  and  unreality  of 
a  dream.  Something  that  I  myself  inad- 
vertently said  caused  the  cloud  to  gather. 
The  talk  had  been  upon  the  fete,  and  the 
number  of  persons  attracted  thereby  to  the 
city.  This  led  me  to  say, — 

"  I  trust  all  strangers  do  not  arouse  the 
same  suspicion  and  curiosity  which  I  seem 
to  excite." 

"  How  so  ?  "  said  Ardotti  quickly. 

Thereupon  I  began  relating  my  experi- 
ence at  the  inn.  As  I  proceeded,  I  saw 
that  Ardotti  was  listening  with  an  intent- 
ness  of  manner  I  had  not  marked  in  him 
before.  Signor  Canaro  leaned  back,  one 
hand  upon  the  arm  of  his  chair,  the  other 
clutching  his  wine-glass.  On  the  face  of 
the  Signorina  was  the  look  I  had  already 


In  a  Brescia  Garden  79 

beheld  with  wonder,  now  fixed  and  inten- 
sified. What  did  it  all  mean  ?  I  tried 
to  appear  not  to  notice  the  change  which 
had  come  over  the  three,  and  continued 
with  my  narration.  When  I  had  finished, 
Ardotti  said, — 

"  And  the  men ;  tell  us  more  fully  what 
they  were  like." 

I  described  them  as  clearly  as  I  could. 

"  You  think  they  did  not  follow  you 
here  ? " 

"  I  cannot  be  absolutely  sure,  but  I  be- 
lieve not." 

No  more  was  said  upon  the  matter,  but 
after  that  a  decided  constraint  fell  upon 
us.  As  we  were  walking  back  to  the  gar- 
den, Ardotti  left  us,  and  I  saw  him  hurry- 
ing toward  the  entrance  into  the  street. 
He  speedily  joined  us  again,  however,  and 
as  he  did  so  he  exchanged  a  grave  nod 
with  Signor  Canaro. 

As  soon  as  was  consistent  with  courtesy 
I  rose  to  make  my  adieus,  for  I  felt  that 
my  presence  was  an  embarrassment  to 
both  father  and  daughter.  Whatever 
trouble  or  danger  my  story  had  revealed 


8o  A  Man-at-Arms 

to  them  as  being  imminent  could  better 
be  met  alone  than  with  a  stranger  pres- 
ent. However,  Ardotti  stopped  me. 

"If  you  will  wait  until  it  grows  a  trifle 
darker,"  he  said,  "  I  will  go  a  part  of  the 
way  to  your  inn  with  you." 

It  was  then  dusk,  and  as  soon  as  the 
stars  began  to  spangle  the  sky  the  captain 
went  for  his  cloak  and  sword. 

"  We  will  try  the  laneway,"  he  re- 
marked to  Signor  Canaro. 

"  I  feel  that  we  owe  you  an  apology," 
said  that  gentleman,  as  he  offered  me  his 
hand,  "  for  our  perturbation  and  exhibi- 
tion of  anxiety.  I  trust  that  you  may 
one  day  give  us  the  pleasure  of  seeing 
you  in  Brescia  again,  for  I  assure  you 
we  are  not  in  the  habit  of  thus  disturbing 
our  guests." 

I  expressed  my  pleasure  at  his  invita- 
tion, and  my  regret  that  I  should  have 
been  the  one  to  cause  the  distress  of  mind 
which  he  and  his  daughter  were  experi- 
encing. To  Angela  Canaro  I  said,  as  I 
bade  her  farewell,  — 

"  While    I    know,   Signorina,  that    you 


In  a  Brescia  Garden  81 

have  two  valiant  protectors  in  your  father 
and  Captain  Ardotti,  should  the  time  ever 
come  when  you  need  a  third,  I  beg  you  to 
believe  that  my  sword  is  entirely  at  your 
service." 

"  Oh,  thank  you,  Signore,"  she  cried, 
"  though  I  pray  Heaven  there  may  never 
be  such  a  dire  necessity." 

So  I  went  out  into  the  dark  laneway 
with  Ardotti,  dreaming  that  her  eyes  had 
said  to  me  more  than  her  lips,  as  I  caught 
her  parting  look  in  the  spring  starlight. 


Chapter    VII 
A  Night  at  the  Two  Falcons 

"  A"  I  AHE   street  in  front  of  the  palace 
JL     is  watched,"  said  Ardotti,  as  we 
entered  the  lane. 

"  I  fancied  as  much,"  I  answered. 

"  Doubtless  you  are  puzzling  over  the 
why  and  wherefore  of  all  this,"  he  went 
on.  "  I  have  accompanied  you  that  I 
may  explain  the  situation  at  least  in  part, 
for  an  explanation  and  warning  are  due 
you,  since  by  entering  the  house  of  Vin- 
cenzo  Canaro  you  have  made  yourself 
an  object  of  suspicion,  and  I  believe  are 
likely  to  be  assaulted  at  any  moment  as 
long  as  you  remain  in  Brescia." 

He  led  the  way  rapidly,  turning  ab- 
ruptly into  another  lane  before  we  had 
gone  far. 

82 


A  Night  at  the  Two  Falcons      83 

"  There  is  a  little  wine-house  here,"  he 
said,  "  where  we  can  talk  and  not  be 
molested." 

Presently  we  came  to  a  small  building 
whose  lower  windows  showed  a  glimmer 
of  light.  Ardotti  entered  without  hesita- 
tion. There  was  no  one  within  save  the 
proprietor,  who  greeted  us  with  marked 
respect. 

"  A  room,  Bruno,  and  some  wine,  and 
see  that  we  are  not  disturbed  ! "  exclaimed 
Ardotti. 

"  There  is  no  danger  that  the  Signori 
will  be  disturbed,"  was  the  reply.  "  The 
whole  city  is  viewing  the  illumination  in 
the  piazza." 

"  I  shall  not  keep  you  long,"  said 
Ardotti  when  we  were  seated  with  a 
flagon  of  the  wine  of  Asti  before  us,  "  for 
you  had  best  be  back  at  your  inn  as  soon 
as  may  be,  and  I  at  the  palace.  Though 
you  did  not  see  fit  to  trust  me  this  after- 
noon, for  which  I  do  not  in  the  least 
blame  you,  I  am  going  to  trust  you  now, 
since  something  tells  me  that  you  are 
worthy  of  being  trusted,  and  a  time  may 


84  A  Man-at-Arms 

perhaps  come  when  the  information  which 
I  am  about  to  give  you  will  enable  you 
to  aid  those  whom  I  am  trying  to  assist. 
Now  do  you  follow  me  closely,  for  I  shall 
not  waste  words.  When  the  Brusati  were 
deposed  from  the  overlordship  of  Brescia 
by  the  Visconti,  the  Canari  fell  with  them, 
and  lost  a  greater  part  of  their  posses- 
sions. Latterly,  however,  they  prospered, 
and  Vincenzo's  inheritance  was  princely. 
Bernabo  Visconti  has,  for  a  number  of 
years,  been  scheming  to  get  this  wealth 
into  his  hands.  He  dare  not  seize  it 
openly,  that  would  be  too  gross  a  piece 
of  injustice  to  be  practised  even  by  a 
tyrant  such  as  he,  but  he  has  conceived 
a  plan  of  marrying  one  of  his  sons  to 
Signorina  Canaro,  and  thus  obtaining  his 
wish.  I  scarcely  need  tell  you  how  his 
proposals  have  been  met  both  by  father 
and  daughter.  Bernabo,  however,  will 
not  be  put  off.  He  is  constant  in  his 
importuning,  and  Signor  Canaro  fears 
that  he  may  finally  resort  to  force. 
Hearing  by  chance  a  few  months  since 
how  matters  stood,  the  Marquis  of  Man- 


A  Night  at  the  Two  Falcons      85 

tua,  formerly  a  friend  of  Signor  Canaro, 
despatched  me  to  Brescia  to  try  to  arrange 
an  alliance  between  the  Signorina  and  his 
nephew,  and  thus  frustrate  the  schemes 
of  the  Lord  of  Milan.  Being  a  Brescian 
by  birth,  and  my  father  having  been  in 
the  employ  of  the  house  of  Canaro  in 
its  more  favored  days,  I  was  received  as 
a  friend,  and  all  seemed  to  be  progressing 
happily,  when  something  displeasing  came 
to  my  lady's  ears  in  regard  to  my  master's 
nephew.  This  caused  a  hitch  in  the  nego- 
tiations. I  am  now  on  my  third  visit  to 
Brescia,  and  still  no  definite  decision  has 
been  reached.  Signor  Canaro  is  favorably 
inclined  toward  the  proposal  of  the  Mar- 
quis, yet  he  fears  to  accept,  even  should 
his  daughter  overcome  her  compunctions, 
lest  Bernabo  declare  all  his  possessions  for- 
feited. The  story  of  your  experience  con- 
firmed me  in  what  I  had  already  suspected 
—  that  through  unknown  and  treacherous 
means  Bernabo  has  ascertained  that  some 
sort  of  negotiations  are  in  progress  between 
the  Marquis  and  Signor  Canaro,  and  that 
he  intends  to  discover  what  they  are  and 


86  A  Man-at-Arms 

thwart  them.  Several  times  since  my 
arrival  I  have  fancied  I  was  spied  upon. 
It  will  be  no  easy  matter  for  me  to  get 
back  to  Mantua  with  a  whole  skin,  for  I 
doubt  not  Bernabo's  hirelings  —  and  there 
are  more  than  the  two  you  encountered 
—  have  orders  to  find  out  at  all  hazards 
what  is  going  on." 

"Have  you  not  then  risked  the  safety 
of  the  Signorina  and  her  father  by  telling 
me  ?  "  said  I. 

"  No,"  he  replied,  "  for  I  feel  sure  I 
have  not  misjudged  you  ;  and  now  let  me 
show  you  your  own  danger.  Chance  led 
you  to  the  Two  Falcons,  and  your  late 
arrival  indicated  to  the  watchful  agents  of 
Bernabo  that  you  had  no  special  interest 
in  the  fete.  Your  horse  gave  signs  of 
having  been  ridden  far,  and  on  being 
questioned  you  carefully  avoided  reveal- 
ing whence  you  came.  You  aroused  sus- 
picion, and  I  feel  positive  that  you  were 
followed  to  the  Canaro  palace.  In  the 
minds  of  those  entrusted  with  this  affair 
you  are  connected  with  the  Marquis  of 
Mantua,  and  are  doubtless  put  down  as 


A  Night  at  the  Two  Falcons      87 

being  an  emissary  from  him  either  to  Sig- 
nor  Canaro  or  to  me.  It  will  be  thought 
that  you  are  returning  with  some  sort  of 
a  message,  either  written  or  verbal.  I  am 
positive  that  an  attempt  will  be  made  to 
discover  what  that  message  is,  and  those 
interested  will  pause  at  nothing.  Had 
I  not  revealed  to  you  the  real  situation, 
your  danger  would  still  have  been  the 
same ;  for  had  you  been  captured  you 
would  not  have  been  able  to  convince 
your  captors  of  your  ignorance.  Now 
that  you  know  the  truth  you  will  act  with 
greater  energy  and  caution." 

"  I  shall  certainly  not  betray  your  con- 
fidence." 

"  I  knew  you  would  not." 

"  What  would  you  advise  me  to  do  ?  " 

"  Barricade  your  door  to-night,  and  get 
off,  if  you  can  manage  it,  before  any 
one  is  stirring  in  the  morning.  Once 
outside  the  city,  spare  neither  whip  nor 
spur." 

"  Do  you  see  no  way  out  of  this  terrible 
dilemma  for  Signor  Canaro  and  his  daugh- 
ter ? "  said  I,  the  image  of  the  lovely  Sig- 


88  A  Man-at-Arms 

norina  in  all  her  distress  and  beauty  rising 
appealingly  before  me. 

Ardotti  shook  his  head. 

"  Should  they  accept  the  proposal  of  the 
Marquis  now,  I  fear  it  would  avail  little. 
They  have  hesitated  too  long.  I  doubt 
not  that  the  agents  of  Bernabo  would 
forcibly  interfere  should  Signor  Canaro 
and  his  daughter  attempt  to  leave  Brescia." 

"  But  the  Signorina  has  just  been  in 
Verona.  Why  did  she  not  remain  ?  Her 
father  might  have  joined  her  there." 

"  And  might  not.  It  is  highly  probable 
that  an  accident  would  have  happened  to 
him  on  the  way.  The  case,  I  fear,  is 
hopeless  unless  —  "  Ardotti  paused. 

"  Unless  ?  "  cried  I,  eagerly. 

"  Unless  they  can  temporize,  and,  in 
the  meanwhile,  something  occurs  to  divert 
the  attention  of  Bernabo.  Did  you  not 
think  I  was  remarkably  willing  to  enter 
the  service  of  your  master  ?  No  ?  Well, 
it  would  not  do  to  seem  too  eager ;  there 
was  really  a  reason  other  than  personal 
advantage.  I  would  do  anything  to  help 
Signor  Canaro  and  the  Signorina,  and  the 


A  Night  at  the  Two   Falcons      89 

moment  I  heard  your  proposal  it  flashed 
upon  me  that  there  was  something  back 
of  it.  Here,  I  said  to  myself,  is  perhaps 
the  chance.  Jacopo  del  Verme  is  in  com- 
mand at  Pavia.  Where  he  is  there  is 
likely  to  be  shrewd  counsel  and  decisive 
movement.  Against  whom  would  that 
movement  be  unless  against  Bernabo,  who, 
it  is  known,  has  designs  upon  his  nephew's 
possessions  ? " 

"You  reason  well,"  said  I. 

"  I  have  had  my  eyes  and  ears  open," 
said  he.  "  But  come,  we  must  tarry  here 
no  longer.  I  will  show  you  the  most 
desirable  route  to  the  Two  Falcons,  one 
which  will  enable  you  to  avoid  the  piazza. 
Then  we  must  part,  but  I  hope  within  a 
week  that  you  will  see  me  in  Pavia.  That 
is  my  message  to  Gian  Galeazzo." 

We  went  quickly  out  into  the  night. 
Ardotti  guided  me  through  several  streets, 
and  then  pointed  out  to  me  how  to  con- 
tinue on  my  way. 

"  May  good  luck  go  with  you,"  he  said, 
gripping  my  hand.  "  Be  watchful,  and  do 
not  cease  to  be  bold." 


9<D  A   Man-at-Arms 

Soon  the  darkness  swallowed  him,  and  I 
was  hurrying  toward  the  inn.  Did  Ardotti 
himself  love  Angela  Canaro  ?  Was  this  the 
explanation  of  his  eagerness  to  aid  father 
and  daughter  ?  Clearly  something  beyond 
his  desire  faithfully  to  serve  the  Marquis 
of  Mantua  actuated  him.  Though  at  first 
I  had  not  been  especially  attracted  toward 
this  blunt  and  jovial  soldier,  it  would  have 
caused  me  genuine  regret  had  I  known  I 
was  never  to  set  eyes  upon  him  again,  and 
that  in  less  than  a  week's  time  he  would 
lie  in  a  nameless  grave,  foully  done  to 
death  by  the  hirelings  of  Bernabo  Vis- 
conti. 

I  succeeded  in  slipping  past  the  inn  and 
reaching  the  stable  unobserved.  As  I 
stood  in  the  background,  waiting  for  an 
opportunity  to  get  a  word  with  the  hostler 
who  was  saddling  the  horses  of  three  bois- 
terous fellows  from  Renato,  it  occurred  to 
me  that  it  might  be  well  to  attempt  leav- 
ing Brescia  that  night.  The  uncertainty 
of  the  situation  was  not  without  its  effect 
on  me,  and  I  longed  to  be  beyond  the 
walls,  upon  Hawkwood's  back.  Then, 


A  Night  at  the  Two  Falcons      91 

even  though  I  might  go  astray  in  the 
darkness,  I  should  feel  safe  and  free,  but 
here,  not  knowing  what  man  might  prove 
to  be  a  spy,  there  could  be  no  sense  of 
security,  even  though  I  slept  behind  bolted 
doors. 

Finally  the  three  comrades  rode  noisily 
away.  I  slipped  a  gold  florin  from  my 
pocket  and  approached  the  hostler.  His 
manner  was  not  encouraging,  but  I  was 
not  deterred  thereby.  I  twirled  the  coin 
between  my  thumb  and  forefinger,  and  as 
it  gave  back  the  dull  light  of  the  lantern  I 
saw  a  gleam  come  into  the  man's  eyes,  and 
a  gradual  relaxing  of  his  furrowed  brow. 
A  bit  of  gold  like  that  was  something 
more  rare  to  him  than  was  a  brimming 
casket  of  the  same  yellow  discs  to  the  rich 
merchant  or  lord. 

"  You  may  saddle  my  horse,"  I  said,  as 
the  man's  fingers  closed  convulsively  upon 
the  coin.  "  I  may  wish  to  leave  to-night. 
Do  you  know  how  long  the  city  gates  will 
be  open  ?" 

"  Till  midnight,  Signore,  but  "  —  he 
paused  and  looked  about  him  as  though 


92  A  Man-at-Arms 

the  shadows  might  conceal  a  listener,  then 
drawing  a  step  nearer  and  dropping  his 
voice,  he  continued  — "  would  it  not  be 
better  to  wait  till  early  morning  —  five 
o'clock,  say  ?  The  horse  will  be  ready 
then,  and  the  door  of  the  stable  unfast- 
ened. I  shall  sleep  in  the  loft  on  the 
hay  to-night,  for  there  is  no  room  within ; 
just  at  the  head  of  these  stairs,  Signore," 
and  he  pointed  to  a  dark  corner  where  I 
could  dimly  distinguish  a  flight  of  steps 
leading  upward. 

I  looked  at  the  man  several  seconds 
without  speaking. 

"  You  see,  Signore,"  he  said  still  in  an 
undertone,  "  there  are  likely  to  be  few 
folk  abroad  at  five  in  the  morning." 

"  But  the  city  gates  ?" 

"The  Signore  could  rouse  the  gate- 
keeper." 

"  And  the  inn  ?  " 

"  The  Signore  will  not  find  the  fasten- 
ings of  the  outer  door  difficult  to  undo, 
and  it  is  a  time  when  most  people  sleep 
soundly." 

I  saw  the  fellow  was  advising  me  hon- 


A  Night  at  the  Two  Falcons      93 

estly  and  wisely.  He  had  said  enough 
to  tell  me  that  an  attempt  to  leave  Brescia 
that  night  would  be  fraught  with  danger. 
His  manner  in  itself  was  a  warning.  No 
doubt  the  two  approaches  to  the  inn  were 
watched,  and  while  I  might  slip  by  on  foot 
unnoticed,  as  I  had  already  done,  such  a 
thing  would  be  impossible  on  horseback. 

I  did  not  think  it  desirable  to  press  the 
hostler  for  more  information  than  he  had 
volunteered.  I  had  no  wish  to  get  him 
into  trouble,  and  what  I  had  already 
learned  was  quite  sufficient  to  lead  me  to 
a  decision. 

"  I  will  take  your  advice,"  I  said, 
"  and  if  it  prove  good,  you  shall  not  be 
forgotten." 

"  May  the  Virgin  guard  the  Signore  !  " 
cried  the  man. 

As  I  passed  through  the  doorway  of 
the  inn  I  encountered  the  landlord. 

"  You  did  not  dine  with  us,"  he  said. 
"  I  can  assure  you  that  you  missed  a  good 
dinner.  No  host  in  Brescia  stocked  his 
cellar  for  the  fete  more  carefully  than  I." 

"  I   should  have  done  justice  to  your 


94  A  Man-at-Arms 

good  things  had  I  been  here,"  I  answered. 
"  My  appetite  is  not  something  I  leave  at 
home.  It  travels  with  me." 

"  By  the  by,"  said  he,  "  I  can  give  you 
better  quarters  on  the,  morrow." 

"  Thank  you,"  I  replied,  "  we  will  talk 
about  that  in  the  morning.  Now  I  am 
off  to  bed,  for  I  am  more  than  weary." 

I  mounted  the  two  flights  of  narrow 
stairs,  and  made  my  way  to  the  cramped, 
low-ceilinged  nook  where  I  was  to  sleep. 
I  had  paid  my  night's  reckoning  when  I 
took  the  room  ( this  the  host  said  was  his 
rule  on  fete  days ),  so  if  I  succeeded  in 
carrying  out  the  hostler's  suggestion  I 
should  leave  no  unsatisfied  debt  behind 
me.  There  was  but  a  flimsy  fasten- 
ing upon  the  door,  so  not  until  I  had 
dragged  the  iron  bedstead  against  it,  did  I 
feel  secure  against  intrusion  from  that 
quarter.  I  now  threw  open  the  single 
window,  through  which  the  lately  risen 
moon  was  shining,  and  looked  out. 
Twenty  feet  below  was  the  almost  flat 
roof  of  an  extension  —  doubtless  the 
kitchen.  It  did  not  occur  to  me  that  I 


A  Night  at  the  Two  Falcons      95 

had  anything  to  fear  from  this  direction,  so 
I  left  the  window,  which  swung  backward, 
ajar,  the  air  being  unbearably  close,  extin- 
guished the  candle,  and  stretched  myself 
out  upon  the  bed,  removing  from  my  per- 
son nothing  save  my  sword,  which  I  placed 
at  my  side.  The  possibility  that  I  might 
oversleep  gave  me  no  anxiety.  Since  en- 
tering the  service  of  Gian  Galeazzo  I  had 
become  accustomed  to  early  rising,  and  I 
was  confident  that  I  should  wake  at  the 
peep  of  day.  What  I  feared  was  that  I 
should  get  little  or  no  rest  at  all,  so 
excited  was  my  brain  with  the  happenings 
which  had  been  crowded  into  the  last  few 
hours. 

As  I  lay,  with  wide  eyes,  upon  the  hard 
mattress,  my  thoughts  hovered  about 
Angela  Canaro,  and  however  I  tried  to 
will  otherwise,  they  would  revert  to  her. 
More  than  once  had  I  fancied  myself 
heart-touched  before,  but  what  I  now  ex- 
perienced was  far  different  from  any  sensa- 
tion I  had  previously  known.  Not  only 
was  my  admiration  kindled  by  her  beauty, 
but  my  sympathies  were  moved,  and  all 


96  A  Man-at-Arms 

the  chivalry  in  my  nature  stirred  by  the 
trying  position  in  which  she  was  placed. 
Yet  what  could  I,  who  had  practically  re- 
nounced my  family  and  my  inheritance  and 
was  now  but  a  poor  man-at-arms,  do  to 
aid  the  unfortunate  maiden  ?  I  felt  will- 
ing to  dare  anything,  but  my  brain  evolved 
no  plan,  and  so  hour  after  hour  I  groped 
blankly.  Where  a  soldier  of  the  shrewd- 
ness of  Gerino  Ardotti  could  see  no  light 
was  it  likely  that  any  would  come  to  me, 
I  asked  myself. 

The  moon-rays  shifted  and  flooded  the 
room,  but  gradually  through  sheer  brain- 
exhaustion  I  grew  drowsy,  and  became 
unconscious.  I  had  a  dream  of  being 
strangled,  and  awoke  with  a  start  to  find 
there  was  a  hand  upon  my  throat  and  a 
knee  upon  my  chest. 

"  Your  message,"  said  a  voice  which  I 
was  sure  I  had  heard  before ;  "  produce  it 
if  it  is  written,  tell  it  if  it  is  not,  or  I  will 
throttle  your  life  out  of  you." 

The  room  had  grown  shadowy,  but  I 
could  see  a  pair  of  fierce  eyes  burning 
down  upon  me  from  behind  a  black  mask. 


A  Night  at  the  Two  Falcons      97 

I  gasped  and  struggled,  but  the  grip  upon 
my  throat  tightened  until  my  head  swam. 

"  Yes,"  I  contrived  to  ejaculate. 

My  throat  was  loosened,  but  the  oppres- 
sive weight  was  still  heavy  on  my  chest. 

"  In  my  doublet,"  said  I.  "I  will  give 
it  to  you." 

The  knee  was  lifted,  and,  as  the  man 
partly  straightened  himself,  I  realized  that 
but  one  of  his  feet  was  upon  the  floor. 
With  a  desperate  twist  and  squirm  I 
gathered  myself  and  leaped  at  him,  clasp- 
ing him  about  the  middle,  digging  my 
head  and  shoulders  into  his  stomach.  So 
wholly  unexpected  was  this  assault  that  he 
lost  his  balance,  toppled  over  backward, 
and  down  I  came  on  top  of  him  with  my 
full  weight.  His  head  struck  violently 
upon  the  boards,  and  my  shoulder  com- 
pletely knocked  the  wind  out  of  him,  so, 
while  I  scrambled  to  my  feet,  there  he  lay 
like  a  collapsed  bladder  inflated  by  some 
child  and  crushed  by  an  inadvertent  foot. 
To  add  to  the  noise,  my  sword  fell  with  a 
great  clatter.  I  stooped  and  tore  the 
mask  from  his  face.  It  was  one  of  the 


A  Man-at-Arms 


twobravos  of  the  inn.  While  I  was  bend- 
ing over  him  the  room  was  suddenly  dark- 
ened. I  turned  toward  the  window,  and 
beheld  a  man  about  to  throw  one  leg 
over  the  sill.  There  was  no  time  to  seize 
a  weapon,  so  I  sprang  at  him  with  out- 
stretched arms.  With  all  my  force  I 
threw  myself  against  him.  His  grip  upon 
the  casing  was  but  slight,  and  though  he 
had  a  dagger  in  his  disengaged  hand,  I  was 
upon  him  ere  he  had  a  chance  to  use  it. 
His  body  seemed  to  poise  a  moment  in 
air  before  he  lost  all  support ;  he  clutched 
wildly  at  the  ladder  by  which  he  and  his 
companion  had  gained  the  room,  then 
his  cry  of  mingled  rage  and  despair  rang 
out  on  the  night  as  he  plunged  sidewise 
downward  upon  the  furrowed  tiles  of  the 
extension.  His  motionless  form  held  me 
for  a  moment  spell-bound,  then  I  recol- 
lected my  first  antagonist  and  turned 
quickly  to  him.  He  was  beginning  to 
recover  consciousness,  so  I  hurriedly  fast- 
ened his  hands  and  feet  with  strips  of  the 
bed-linen,  lest  he  should  attempt  further 
mischief,  caught  up  my  sword,  and  began 


A  Night  at  the  Two  Falcons      99 

nimbly  to  descend  the  ladder.  I  fancied 
the  landlord  was  somewhere  about,  and 
before  venturing  to  drop  from  the  roof  of 
the  extension  I  tried  to  penetrate  the  dark 
corners  of  the  enclosure  below,  thinking 
perhaps  I  might  discover  him.  I  did  not 
catch  sight  of  him,  however,  and  soon 
I  was  on  the  ground,  speeding  swiftly 
toward  the  door  of  the  stable.  Rushing 
in,  I  roused  the  hostler. 

"  Quick  !  "  I  cried,  as  he  descended 
from  the  loft;  "my  horse  !  " 

Without  a  question  he  began  hastily  to 
saddle  Hawkwood.  While  this  was  going 
forward  I  kept  watch  of  the  rear  door  of 
the  inn.  Presently  I  saw  the  landlord 
and  a  burly  tapster  steal  out  and  peer 
about.  With  my  sword  drawn  I  sprang 
toward  them. 

"  Back!  "  I  exclaimed,  "  or  it  will  go  ill 
with  you." 

The  landlord  retreated,  but  the  tapster 
held  his  ground.  He  had  a  heavy  blade 
with  which  he  cut  at  me  viciously,  but  he 
lacked  agility,  and  when  I  had  slashed  his 
shoulder  he  ran  howling  within. 


ioo  A  Man-at-Arms 

By  this  time  Hawkwood  stood  ready  in 
the  stable  door,  and  with  a  feeling  of  re- 
lief and  exultation  I  sprang  to  the  saddle. 
The  hostler  was  waiting  silently  and  ex- 
pectantly. 

"  Here,"  said  I,  giving  him  two  florins, 
whereat  he  blessed  me  devoutly,  "  you 
can  do  me  one  more  good  turn." 

"  The  Signore  has  but  to  name  it." 

"  Show  me  the  nearest  way  to  the 
southern  gate,  to  the  Porta  Cremona." 

He  put  his  hand  upon  the  pommel  and 
ran  alongside. 

"  I  will  say  that  the  Signore's  sword 
persuaded  me  to  this  if  I  am  ever  ques- 
tioned." 

"  I  would  that  you  had  a  horse  to  ride 
with  me,"  said  I.  "I  could  promise  you 
pleasanter  employment  than  you  have  at 
the  inn  of  the  Two  Falcons." 

"  I  would  follow  the  Signore,  —  may 
the  saints  attend  him  !  —  but  there  is  the 
wife  and  little  one." 

At  length  he  released  his  hold  on  the 
pommel. 

"  The  way  is   straight    now,"  he    said. 


A  Night  at  the  Two   Falcons    101 

"  If  the  Signore  can  win  over  the  gate- 
keeper, he  is  safe." 

"  Farewell,"  I  cried,  touching  Hawk- 
wood  with  my  heel. 

The  man's  answer  was  drowned  in  the 
noise  of  the  horse's  hoofs.  I  knew  from 
the  position  of  the  moon  that  it  must  be 
considerably  past  the  middle  of  the  night. 
The  streets  were  entirely  deserted ;  not 
even  a  watchman  seemed  to  be  abroad. 
Would  I  still,  I  wondered,  be  favored  of 
fortune  ? 

It  was  not  long  before  I  drew  up  at  the 
door  of  the  gate-house.  Without  dis- 
mounting, I  smote  upon  the  oak  re- 
peatedly with  the  hilt  of  my  sword. 

"  Keeper  !  "  I  shouted.  "  What,  ho, 
there !  " 

"  A  thousand  curses  on  you  !  "  cried 
a  voice.  "  This  is  the  fifth  time  I  have 
been  roused  this  night.  I  will  see  you  in 
the  pit  before  I  will  open  the  gates  for 
you." 

"  Not  for  five  bright  gold  florins  ?  " 

"  Five  florins  !  " 

"  Aye !     they    are    yours    if  you    will 


IO2  A  Man-at-Arms 

but  undo  the  fastenings  and  let  me  ride 
forth." 

"  But  the  laws." 

"  A  rotten  fig  for  the  laws  !  Who  will 
ever  be  the  wiser  ?  Are  you  so  rich  that 
you  can  scorn  these  yellow  comrades  ? " 
and  I  jingled  the  gold  in  my  hand. 

"  I'll  come  down  !  I'll  come  down  at 
once,  Signore." 

And  so  it  was  that  I  rode  out  of  Brescia. 


Chapter  VIII 
The  Mission  to  Milan 

IT  had  been  my  intention  in  reporting 
the  success  of  my  quest  to  Gian  Ga- 
leazzo  to  explain  to  him  the  situation  in 
which  Signor  Canaro  and  his  daughter 
were  placed,  and  ask  him  if  he  could  not 
in  some  way  intervene  in  their  behalf,  but 
when  I  entered  the  presence  of  my  master 
he  gave  me  no  opportunity  to  broach  that 
which  was  uppermost  in  my  mind.  Del 
Verme  was  with  him  as  usual. 

"  You  come  in  good  time,  Delia  Ver- 
ria,"  said  the  Lord  of  Pavia.  "  We  were 
wishing  you  might  arrive  to-day.  What 
said  the  captain  ?  " 

"  That  he  hoped  within  a  week  you 
would  see  him  in  Pavia.  He  will  come 
as  soon  as  he  has  accomplished  his  mission 
103 


IO4  A  Man-at-Arms 

in  Brescia,  whither  I  was  obliged  to  go  in 
search  of  him." 

"  Excellent !  most  excellent !  I  con- 
gratulate you.  You  found  him  in  Bres- 
cia, you  say  ?  Truly  you  are  as  nimble  as 
Mercury." 

"  Mercury  is  reputed  to  have  wings, 
which  I  have  not,  but  I  have  a  most  noble 
steed,  thanks  to  your  Lordship." 

"  There  will  be  an  early  occasion  for  you 
to  use  him  again,  —  to-morrow  in  fact,  — 
when  I  shall  have  a  little  packet  for  you 
to  deliver  to  my  gracious  uncle  who  rules 
in  Milan.  Until  then  I  shall  not  need 
you." 

This  was  clearly  a  dismissal,  and  I  did 
not  think  it  wise  to  ask  my  master  to  lis- 
ten to  me  when  he  was  so  evidently  desir- 
ous of  consulting  with  Del  Verme. 

"  There  will  come  an  opportunity  soon," 
I  thought;  "if  not,  I  will  make  one,"  for 
I  was  determined  that  if  any  word  from 
me  could  loosen  the  coils  which  seemed 
to  be  tightening  about  the  lovely  Brescia 
maiden  and  her  father,  that  word  should  at 
all  hazards  be  spoken.  I  had  little  more 


The  Mission  to   Milan          105 

than  an  inkling  of  the  tragic  order  in 
which  events  were  shaping  themselves, 
and  did  not  realize  how  soon  all  necessity 
for  appealing  to  any  one  in  behalf  of  Sig- 
nor  and  Angela  Canaro  would  apparently 
be  obviated. 

Repairing  to  the  room  in  the  palace 
which  had  been  assigned  to  me,  I  removed 
from  my  person  the  stain  and  dust  of 
travel,  and  then  cast  myself  upon  my  cot. 
After  two  hours  I  rose  much  refreshed, 
and  sallied  forth  in  search  of  Rupert 
Hartzheim.  Finding  him  off  duty,  we 
set  out  into  the  town  together,  and  over 
a  hearty  supper  at  a  hostelry  near  the 
Ticino  bridge  I  related  to  my  friend  my 
experiences  during  my  search  for  Ardotti. 
If  he  was  bored  by  my  youthful  enthusiasm 
over  my  success,  he  did  not  show  it,  and 
although  there  was  a  merry  twinkle  in  his 
eyes  as  he  listened  to  my  glowing  descrip- 
tion of  Angela  Canaro,  he  forbore  to  rally 
me,  which,  as  I  now  think  of  it,  was  most 
kind  of  him.  He  must  have  seen  that 
my  ecstasies  were  those  of  a  lover  ( I  now 
admitted  to  myself  that  I  was  in  love, 


io6  A  Man-at-Arms 

though  acknowledging  the  hopelessness  of 
my  passion ),  and  surely  there  is  no  more 
tempting  mark  for  pleasantry  than  the 
enamoured  swain  who  persists  in  pouring 
his  raptures  into  the  ears  of  his  friends  ! 

When  I  told  Hartzheim  that  I  had  re- 
solved to  appeal  to  Gian  Galeazzo  in 
behalf  of  Signer  Canaro  and  his  daughter 
he  made  no  immediate  answer. 

"  What  could  he  do  to  aid  them  ?  "  he 
said  at  length. 

"  I  confess  that  I  cannot  see,"  I  replied  ; 
"  but  possibly  he  might  do  something.  I 
shall  certainly  speak  with  him  when  I 
return  from  Milan." 

"  From  Milan  !  " 

"  Yes,  I  am  to  ride  thither  on  the  mor- 
row with  some  communication  from  Gian 
Galeazzo  to  his  uncle." 

"  Zounds  !  "  cried  Hartzheim,  smiting 
his  knee  with  his  palm,  "  the  Visconti  of 
Pavia  send  a  greeting  to  the  tyrant  of 
Milan  !  What  in  the  name  of  wonder 
may  that  mean  ?  " 

"  You  can  guess  much  better  than  I,"  I 
answered. 


The   Mission  to  Milan          107 

"  It  means  much,  I'll  stake  a  month's 
pay !  Mayhap  if  you  wait  a  bit  there'll 
be  no  occasion  for  your  appealing  to  Gian 
Galeazzo  in  behalf  of  the  fair  damsel  and 
her  father." 

"  Have  you  heard  anything  new  at  the 
palace  ? " 

"  No,  but  the  Lord  of  Pavia  is  not 
keeping  such  a  force  armed  and  drilled 
for  nothing,  and  under  such  a  leader  as 
Del  Verme.  This  mission  of  yours  to 
Milan  will  bring  matters  to  a  head,  or 
I'm  a  poor  prophet !  " 

It  was  my  opinion  that  Hartzheim  was 
a  good  prophet,  and  filled  with  a  pardon- 
able feeling  of  pride  that  I  had  been 
chosen  as  the  bearer  of  what  might  prove 
so  important  a  communication,  I  rode 
into  the  palace  courtyard  the  next  morn- 
ing. I  had  thrown  Hawkwood's  bridle 
to  a  groom,  and  was  about  to  ascend  the 
main  staircase  of  the  palace  when  I  saw 
Gian  Galeazzo  and  Del  Verme  coming 
down  the  steps  together. 

"  Ah ! "  said  the  Lord  of  Pavia,  in 
his  pleasantest  manner,  as  he  acknowl- 


io8  A  Man-at-Arms 

edged  my  salute,  "  our  ambassador 
waits." 

"  He  is  quite  ready,  your  Lordship," 
said  I. 

"  Here  is  what  you  are  to  deliver  to 
my  uncle,"  said  he,  handing  me  a  small 
case  of  soft  leather  tied  with  threads  of 
gold.  "  It  contains  a  topaz  of  much  brill- 
iancy, which  I  am  sending  with  my  re- 
spectful homage,  and  a  request  in  writing 
to  which  you  are  to  bring  an  answer. 
Shall  we  tell  Delia  Verria  the  tenor  of 
the  request,  Del  Verme  ? " 

"  It  might  possibly  be  a  help  to  him 
to  know,"  answered  the  soldier. 

"  I  am  sending  word  to  my  gracious 
uncle,"  said  Gian  Galeazzo,  giving  a  pecul- 
iar emphasis  to  the  last  two  words  which 
might  not  have  been  over-pleasing  to  the 
ears  of  that  personage  had  he  heard  them, 
"  that  three  days  hence  I  shall  undertake  a 
pilgrimage  to  the  shrine  of  our  Lady  of  the 
Mountain,  at  Varese,  and  I  am  beseeching 
him,  inasmuch  as  my  natural  timidity  dis- 
inclines me  to  enter  Milan,  to  meet  me  at 
the  parting  of  the  roads  without  the  city 


The  Mission  to  Milan          109 

in  order  that  I  may  embrace  him  and 
renew  those  expressions  of  affection  for 
him  which  of  late  years  I  have  had  no 
chance  to  utter.  So  ardently  have  I 
urged  my  request  that  I  am  hoping  you 
will  return  with  a  favorable  reply." 

I  bestowed  the  packet  in  my  doublet, 
and  turned  to  mount  Hawkwood. 

"  A  word  of  warning,  Delia  Verria," 
added  the  Visconti,  "  although  it  may  not 
be  necessary.  Recall  what  I  said  to  you 
before  you  set  out  for  Mantua,  and  keep 
a  close  tongue." 

"  Bernabo  Visconti  shall  learn  nothing 
from  me  that  he  does  not  already  know," 
said  I. 

It  was  little  more  than  mid-morning 
when  I  rode  into  Milan.  I  had  visited 
the  city  several  times  with  my  father,  and 
was  sufficiently  familiar  with  it  to  find  my 
way  to  the  palace  of  Bernabo  without 
stopping  to  inquire  the  route  thither. 
Just  within  the  Vercellina  gate,  however, 
I  came  upon  an  inn  in  front  of  which 
a  stream  of  running  water  flowed  into  a 
great  stone  basin.  As  I  paused  to  let 


no  A  Man-at-Arms 

Hawkwood  thrust  his  nose  into  the  cool 
flood,  the  landlord  came  to  the  door  and 
asked  me  if  I  would  not  enter  and  refresh 
myself.  It  seemed  a  well-favored  hostelry, 
and  as  I  detected  several  loiterers  within, 
it  occurred  to  me  that  I  might  pick  up 
a  few  scraps  of  gossip  in  regard  to  the 
ruling  tyrant  who,  as  report  had  it,  was 
most  cordially  hated  by  those  whom  he 
governed,  so  I  allowed  myself  to  be  per- 
suaded to  alight. 

"  A  fine  animal  you  have  there,"  said 
the  landlord,  eying  Hawkwood  with  the 
look  of  one  who  was  a  judge  of  horse- 
flesh. 

" That  he  is ! "  said  I.  "He  has  brought 
me  hither  from  Pavia  right  quickly." 

"Ah,  from  Pavia!"  exclaimed  the  land- 
lord. "You  are  a  native  of  that  town 
perhaps  ? " 

"Yes,"  I  returned,  "  Pavia  is  my  home, 
though  I  have  lived  there  but  little  of 
late." 

I  was  in  no  wise  forgetting  my  master's 
warning,  but  I  knew  that  I  must  appear 
to  be  voluble  and  communicative  in  order 


The  Mission  to   Milan          in 

to  induce  the  landlord  and  the  others  to 
talk.  It  was  easy  to  gabble,  and  yet  in 
reality  to  reveal  nothing. 

"  Gentlemen,"  said  I  presently  to  two 
or  three  burghers  who  were  within  ear- 
shot, "will  you  not  join  me  in  a  flagon 
of  wine  ?  Mine  host  keeps  an  excellent 
vintage." 

Two  citizens  —  tradesmen  seemingly  — 
accepted  my  invitation,  and  the  landlord 
stood  by  as  we  quaffed  our  liquor. 

"  To  your  health,"  said  they. 

"To  your  fair  city,"  said  I. 

"  God  send  us  a  better  ruler,"  put  in 
the  landlord,  sotto  voce. 

"  Amen  to  that ! "  exclaimed  both 
burghers. 

"  Rulers  are  a  necessary  evil,"  said  I. 

"  Such  a  one  as  ours  is  a  curse  !  "  cried 
the  landlord,  and  the  two  citizens  nodded 
assent.  "  You  have  one  of  the  same  breed 
in  Pavia,  but  rumor  says  there  is  as  much 
difference  between  Bernabo  and  Gian  Gale- 
azzo  Visconti  as  there  is  between  black 
and  white." 

"  For  aught  I  know  that  may  be,"  said 


H2  A  Man-at-Arms 

I,  "  yet  rumor  is  ever  a  jade,  and  little  to 
be  trusted.  It  has  been  my  experience 
that  go  where  you  will,  —  Mantua,  Bo- 
logna, Firenze,  —  the  citizens  of  each  town 
will  tell  you  they  have  the  worst  of  rulers. 
Now,  though  I  make  no  pretence  of  hav- 
ing a  knowledge  of  such  matters,  I'll  wager 
that  you  have  as  good  a  ruler  as  any  of 
these  cities." 

"  He  is  a  very  Satan  ! "  exclaimed  the 
landlord. 

"  And  there  is  one  of  his  sons,  Mastino, 
whom  men  call  II  Brutto  [the  ugly],  who 
is  the  very  prince  of  devils  !  "  cried  one  of 
the  burghers. 

"Young  sir,"  said  the  other  citizen, 
leaning  forward,  "  there  is  not  in  all  Italy 
a  match  for  this  pair.  Have  you  never 
heard  of  the  hounds  of  Bernabo  ?  He  has 
more  than  a  thousand  of  them  in  kennels 
both  within  and  without  the  city.  To-day 
is  one  of  the  days  of  reckoning  with  the 
keepers — Heaven  help  the  poor  men  !  If 
a  dog  dies,  the  man  who  has  had  him  in 
charge  is  fined  his  entire  property,  and 
flogged  well-nigh  to  death.  If  a  dog  is 


The   Mission  to  Milan          113 

found  to  be  too  fat  or  too  lean,  the  keeper, 
in  either  instance,  is  punished  with  revolt- 
ing cruelty.  Father  and  son  will  be  in 
rare  spirits  to-day.  They  have  work  on 
hand  which  is  wholly  to  their  liking." 

This  tale  in  regard  to  Bernabo's  hounds 
was  not  new  to  my  ears,  but  I  had  hither- 
to given  little  thought  to  it.  That  it  was 
true  I  had  not  the  least  doubt.  The  nar- 
rator's earnestness  was  sufficient  confirma- 
tion of  its  dread  reality. 

"  You  have  heard  but  one  thing,"  said 
the  man,  seeming  to  take  it  for  granted  by 
my  silence  that  I  was  sceptical  in  regard  to 
the  truth  of  his  story. 

"  It  is  quite  sufficient,"  said  I,  rising, 
and  walking  toward  the  door,  "  to  make 
me  curious  to  see  this  remarkable  ruler  of 
yours." 

"  See  him  !  "  cried  they,  starting  to  their 
feet  in  astonishment. 

"Yes,"  said  I;  "why  not?" 

They  began  looking  at  one  another  in  a 
puzzled  fashion,  wondering  whether  I  were 
joking  or  no,  and  never  for  a  moment 
dreaming  that  I  was  really  on  my  way  to 


ii4  A   Man-at-Arms 

seek  an  audience  with  Bernabo  Visconti. 
They  gathered  in  the  doorway  and  watched 
me  mount. 

"  Good  day,  gentlemen,"  I  cried,  wav- 
ing my  hand  to  them.  "  I  am  for  the 
palace."  And  I  left  them  gaping  after  me 
in  mute  amazement. 

I  marvelled  somewhat  that  these  men 
had  been  so  outspoken  in  regard  to  the 
ruler  of  their  city  to  me,  a  total  stranger, 
but  finally  came  to  a  conclusion  not  far 
short  of  the  truth  that  the  people  were  fast 
becoming  desperate  under  the  oppression 
to  which  they  were  subjected.  An  ex- 
pression of  dissatisfaction,  of  unrest,  of 
dormant  rebellion,  was  plainly  to  be  seen 
on  many  faces  that  were  lifted  to  mine  as 
I  rode  through  the  streets.  The  time 
was  evidently  ripe  for  a  change,  and  I 
fancied  that  any  one  who  would,  either 
by  force  or  strategy,  overthrow  the  power 
of  the  despotic  Bernabo  would  be  hailed 
with  acclaim  as  a  liberator.  Was  this  the 
part  that  my  master  was  planning  to  play  ? 
Certainly  everything  now  tended  to  make 
me  believe  such  was  the  case.  My  heart 


The  Mission  to   Milan          115 

quickened  at  the  thought.  With  Gian 
Galeazzo  Lord  of  Milan  new  possibilities 
opened  before  me,  and  with  the  vision  of 
wealth  and  fame  there  rose  another  far 
fairer  —  one  which  I  had  not  been  able 
long  to  banish  since  the  first  time  my  eyes 
had  rested  upon  it.  That  was  but  a  few 
brief  days  ago,  and  yet  how  great  a  period 
it  seemed ! 

I  found  the  piazza,  which  Gian  Gale- 
azzo beautified  in  after  years  with  that 
cathedral  which  is  the  wonder  of  Europe, 
flooded  with  the  dazzling  spring  sunlight. 
It  was  well-nigh  deserted,  and  I  could  but 
contrast  the  busy  scene  which  the  square 
in  front  of  my  master's  palace  presented 
with  the  ominous  quietude  which  brooded 
here.  Despite  the  glow  of  the  sunshine 
it  was  as  though  a  spirit  of  blight  rested 
upon  the  spot. 

Two  sullen  guards  stood  upon  either 
side  of  the  palace  gateway,  and  as  I  made 
bold  to  ride  between  them  into  the  court- 
yard, one  of  them  put  his  hand  upon 
Hawkwood's  bridle  and  demanded  my 
business.  I  replied  that  I  desired  an 


1 1 6  A  Man-at- Arms 

audience  with  his  master,  but  he  would 
not  allow  me  to  pass  until  he  had  called 
one  from  within  who  questioned  me 
sharply.  This  man  was  of  middle  age, 
swarthy  and  keen-eyed,  and  garbed  in 
a  rich  dark  livery.  He  finally  bade 
me  enter,  saying,  as  he  walked  at  my 
side,  — 

"  His  Lordship  has  just  returned  from 
the  kennels,  and  it  may  be  you  will  not 
be  able  to  see  him  at  once.  However,  I 
will  ascertain." 

A  serving-man  took  charge  of  my 
horse,  and  I  followed  my  conductor  into 
the  palace.  I  must  confess  that  my 
pulses  did  not  flow  with  their  wonted 
serenity,  although  outwardly  I  was  calm 
enough.  I  realized  that  I  might  be  about 
to  enter  the  presence  of  one  of  the  most 
unscrupulous  and  cruel  men  in  all  Italy, 
and  although  my  mission  was  seemingly 
innocent,  I  felt  sure  that  it  might  possibly 
be  fraught  with  weighty  consequences. 

I  was  left  in  a  small,  bare  ante-chamber 
while  he  who  had  accompanied  me  passed 
into  the  adjoining  apartment.  Scarcely 


The  Mission  to  Milan          117 

had  I  taken  three  turns  in  the  narrow 
room  when  my  guide  reappeared. 

"  His  Lordship  will  see  you  now,"  he 
said. 

I  stepped  through  the  doorway,  and 
found  myself  in  a  large,  light  reception- 
hall  at  the  farther  end  of  which,  near  a  tall 
window,  two  men  were  standing.  Between 
them  was  a  huge  boar-hound  with  whose 
ears  the  smaller  man  was  toying.  Al- 
though my  spurred  heels  rang  upon  the 
oaken  flooring,  the  two  paid  no  heed  to 
me  as  I  advanced.  It  was  not  until  my 
conductor  spoke  that  either  so  much  as 
noticed  my  presence,  although  the  dog 
cast  upon  me  a  suspicious  glance  from  his 
savage  eyes. 

"  This  is  the  gentleman  who  wishes  to 
see  your  Lordship." 

At  these  words  from  my  guide  the  two 
turned.  The  younger  and  smaller  of  them 
was  tricked  out  with  all  the  finery  of  a 
gallant,  and  showed  as  ugly  and  malicious 
a  face  as  it  had  ever  been  my  lot  to  see. 
A  sneer  hovered  perpetually  about  his 
mouth,  and  in  his  eyes  there  burned  a 


n8  A  Man-at-Arms 

vicious  and  evil  light.  It  needed  no  sec- 
ond glance  to  tell  me  that  this  was  Mas- 
tino  Visconti,  called  II  Brutto  by  the 
burgher  whom  I  had  encountered  at  the 
inn.  There  was  a  resemblance  between 
father  and  son,  but  the  countenance  of 
Bernabo  was  cast  in  a  larger  mould.  In 
it  there  was  less  cunning,  but  more  force 
and  daring,  yet  the  sinister  stamp  was  as 
clear  upon  it  as  upon  that  of  the  younger 
man. 

Having  made  my  obeisance,  I  took 
from  my  doublet  the  packet  entrusted  to 
me  by  Gian  Galeazzo. 

"  This,"  I  said,  placing  it  in  Bernabo's 
hand,  "  my  master,  your  nephew  and 
dutiful  son-in-law,  bids  me  give  you  in 
token  of  his  earnest  regard." 

There  came  from  II  Brutto  a  little  iron- 
ical laugh  that  was  hollow  of  mirth, 
whereat  his  father  cast  a  questioning  eye 
upon  him.  Then  with  a  grunt,  expressive 
of  what  emotion  I  could  not  conjecture, 
he  broke  the  threads  which  bound  the 
packet,  and  plucked  forth  the  gem,  which 
he  held  up  to  the  light. 


The   Mission  to   Milan          119 

"  A  fine  stone,  by  the  saints  !  "  said  he, 
and  I  noticed  that  his  face  grew  wolfishly 
avaricious  as  he  gazed  at  it.  Presently  he 
pulled  out  the  writing,  which  he  deliber- 
ately unfolded  and  as  slowly  scanned. 
When  he  looked  up,  it  was  to  regard  me 
critically  from  head  to  toe. 

"  Why  do  you  serve  such  a  craven  as 
this  nephew  and  son-in-law  of  mine?"  he 
cried,  with  a  snarl.  "  You  seem  a  likely 
looking  youth  —  too  likely  to  be  the  mes- 
sage-bearer of  a  coward  !  " 

I  bowed  my  acknowledgments. 

"  One  must  serve  some  one  or  starve," 
said  I. 

"  Do  you  know  what  this  missive  con- 
tains ? "  he  demanded. 

"My  master  honored  me  by  telling 
me." 

"  What  do  you  think,"  cried  he,  "  of  a 
man  who  dares  not  visit  his  own  father's 
brother,  his  own  wife's  father  ?  Dares  not ! 
Does  he  think  the  city  of  Milan  a  den  of 
cutthroats  ?  Body  of  Christ,  that  my 
daughter  should  have  married  such  a  pol- 
troon !  "  His  grizzled  upper  lip  lifted  in 


I2O  A  Man-at-Arms 

a  sardonic  laugh,  and  his  white  teeth 
showed  like  the  boar-hound's  fangs. 

"  May  not  timidity  be  a  physical  infirm- 
ity," said  I,  "  for  which  one  should  not  be 
held  accountable  ? " 

"  It  can  be  overcome,"  thundered  Ber- 
nabo.  "  I'll  see  my  cowardly,  praying, 
priest-like  nephew  and  tell  him  so  to  his 
face.  By  God,  I  will !  '  His  natural 
timidity  disinclines  him  to  enter  Milan,' 
does  it  ?  Well,  he  shall  have  his  wish. 
I  will  meet  him  as  he  desires.  Will  he 
have  his  horde  of  whining  priests  with 
him  ?  I  suppose  so.  A  fine  company  to 
keep,  forsooth  ! " 

II  Brutto  touched  his  father's  arm. 

"  Let  me  see  what  my  cousin  writes," 
he  said. 

Bernabo  handed  him  the  missive. 
When  he  had  finished  reading  it,  he 
scowled  and  whispered  something  in  his 
father's  ear. 

"  You  are  grown  amazingly  cautious  of 
a  sudden,"  said  the  Lord  of  Milan,  mock- 
ingly. "  Here,  Marzo,"  he  cried,  seizing 
the  letter  and  holding  it  toward  the  man 


The  Mission  to   Milan          121 

who  had  guided  me  to  the  apartment ; 
"  you  know  humanity  as  well  as  you  know 
dogs.  Tell  me  what  you  think  of  this." 

The  master  of  Bernabo's  hounds  —  for 
he  it  was  —  ran  his  sharp  eyes  rapidly  over 
the  writing,  but  his  expression  did  not 
change. 

"  Will  your  Lordship  step  aside  a  mo- 
ment ? "  he  said,  as  he  looked  up. 

The  three  men  withdrew  several  paces 
and  began  conversing  in  low  tones.  I 
pretended  in  the  meanwhile  to  be  intent 
upon  something  that  was  taking  place  in 
the  courtyard  below,  but  in  reality  I  was 
listening  intently  to  catch  some  word  that 
would  give  me  a  clew  to  what  was  passing 
between  them.  I  felt  that  both  II  Brutto 
and  Marzo  suspected  that  there  was  a 
hidden  motive  in  Gian  Galeazzo's  request, 
and  were  urging  Bernabo  not  to  meet  his 
nephew  as  proposed.  They  had,  how- 
ever, an  obstinate  subject  to  deal  with. 

"  I  tell  you  he's  too  much  of  a  coward ! " 
J  heard  the  Lord  of  Milan  blurt  out,  with 
an  impatient  snort. 

There  was  more  talk  in  an  undertone, 


122  A  Man-at-Arms 

then  a  string  of  imprecations  burst  from 
Bernabo. 

"  Am  I  so  old  that  I  am  a  fool  ? "  he 
cried,  and  I  realized  that  they  were  re- 
turning, and  wheeled  to  face  them.  The 
Lord  of  Milan  came  forward,  his  cruel 
face  twitching  with  anger. 

"  This  is  my  message  to  your  master, 
my  nephew  and  son-in-law,  Gian  Galeazzo 
Visconti,"  he  said,  his  gruff  voice  the 
hoarser  from  ire.  "  Tell  him  that  I  will 
meet  him  at  mid-morning,  three  days 
hence,  without  the  Vercillina  gate  where 
the  road  branches  toward  Varese,  unless 
in  the  meanwhile  he  has  a  fit  of  fear 
and  remains  shut  up  with  his  priests  and 
clerks." 

The  evident  opposition  of  II  Brutto 
and  Marzo  had  availed  nothing  save  to 
enrage  the  Milanese  despot.  The  for- 
mer shrugged  his  shoulders  as  though  to 
indicate  that  he  had  no  further  interest 
in  the  matter,  while  the  latter  kept  his 
penetrating  gaze  fixed  upon  my  face.  • 

I  bowed  in  response  to  Bernabo's  an- 
nouncement, making  a  fitting  reply,  and 


The  Mission  to   Milan         123 

then  II  Brutto  said  that  he  would  see  me 
back  to  the  courtyard.  He  led  the  way 
in  taciturn  silence,  and  as  both  his  face 
and  manner  filled  me  with  loathing  I 
made  no  attempt  at  conversation.  At 
the  head  of  the  stairway  he  paused  and 
saluted  me  stiffly.  I  saw  that  it  was  not 
his  intention  to  descend,  so  returned  his 
salute  with  equal  formality  and  passed 
downward.  As  I  reached  the  landing  by 
which  the  descent  was  broken,  a  voice  ar- 
rested my  steps.  Looking  back,  I  beheld 
Marzo  above  me.  II  Brutto  had  disap- 
peared. As  the  master  of  hounds  joined 
me,  I  noticed  that  he  held  in  his  hand 
a  finely  chased  chain  of  gold  whereto  a 
pendant  was  attached  in  which  a  large 
emerald  burned  like  a  cat's  eye  in  the 
dark.  He  did  not  fail  to  let  me  have 
a  good  look  at  the  trinket,  and  it  flashed 
into  my  mind  that  there  was  method  in 
his  so  doing. 

"  You  return  to  Pavia  directly  ? "  he 
said. 

"  At  once." 

"Do  you  find  service  there  agreeable?" 


124  A  Man-at-Arms 

"  Most  agreeable." 

"  Ah  !  one  of  your  bearing  and  spirit 
under  a  man  of  no  spirit !  It  is  difficult 
to  understand." 

To  this  I  made  no  reply.  We  had 
halted  and  stood  facing  one  another  on 
the  landing,  he  with  his  legs  wide  apart, 
swinging  the  gold  chain  and  the  gleaming 
emerald  before  my  eyes.  I  knew  well 
enough  what  he  was  about  to  propose, 
and  waited  with  some  curiosity  to  see 
how  he  would  put  it.  He  did  not  hesi- 
tate long.  I  certainly  had  not  given  him 
an  iota  of  encouragement,  but  he  went,  I 
presume,  on  the  supposition  that  every 
man  has  his  price. 

"  My  Lord,  Bernabo  Visconti,"  he 
began,  "  has  long  wished  that  he  could 
find  some  one  both  intelligent  and  trust- 
worthy who  would  act  as  his  confidential 
agent  in  Pavia.  To  such  an  one  he  would 
be  most  generous ;  to  such  an  one  he 
would  be  pleased  to  present  this  rare  bit 
of  jewelry  as  a  token  of  his  good  faith, 
and  as  earnest  of  the  reward  to  follow 
service  faithfully  rendered.  The  man 


The   Mission  to   Milan          125 

whom  he  seeks  must  of  necessity  have 
some  occupation  that  would  keep  him 
in  touch  with  public  affairs,  and  be  in 
a  position  that  would  place  him  above 
suspicion.  Indeed,  if  by  any  chance,  he 
should  be  in  some  capacity  connected 
with  the  ruler  of  Pavia,  it  would  be  ex- 
ceedingly advantageous.  Do  you  not 
know  of  such  a  person  ? " 

He  leaned  forward  insinuatingly,  still 
dangling  the  chain  and  the  jewel  before 
me. 

"  I  do  not,"  I  said  shortly,  although  I 
was  more  amused  than  angered  at  so  bare- 
faced a  proposal. 

"  Think  for  a  moment !  "  he  went  on, 
seemingly  not  put  out  by  my  decided 
reply.  "  To  a  young  man  who  has  his 
way  to  make,  such  an  opportunity  might 
mean  a  fortune.  It  might  prove  the 
chance  of  a  lifetime.  Are  you  still  quite 
sure  you  know  of  no  one  ?  " 

"Yes,  quite  sure,"  said  I,  looking  him 
squarely  in  the  eyes. 

"  I  confess  that  I  am  disappointed," 
said  he,  still  suave,  although  he  now 


126  A  Man-at-Arms 

ceased  to  swing  the  chain.  "  I  thought 
you  were  a  youth  of  discernment,  but  we 
all  make  our  mistakes.  You  had  better 
go  back  to  your  sallow-faced  coward ! " 

"You  had  best  keep  to  your  dogs," 
said  I. 

His  dagger  was  out  in  a  flash,  but  I 
was  too  quick  for  him.  Down  the  stair- 
case I  flew,  three  and  four  steps  at  a  time. 
Into  the  courtyard  I  sprang,  and  ran 
toward  where  Hawkwood  was  standing. 
Every  second  I  expected  to  hear  Marzo's 
voice  bidding  some  of  the  guardsmen  ar- 
rest my  flight,  but  no  word  came.  Not 
until  I  was  upon  Hawkwood's  back  did  I 
look  toward  the  palace  doorway.  There 
I  saw  no  sign  of  the  master  of  Bernabo's 
hounds,  nor  did  I  catch  a  glimpse  of  him 
as  I  rode  out  into  the  piazza. 


Chapter   IX 
The  Coup-de-Main 

THERE  was  a  great  stir  in  and  about 
the  Palazzo  Visconti  in  Pavia  on  a 
certain  Sabbath  afternoon  of  early  May, 
in  the  year  1385.  News  had  gone  abroad 
through  the  city  that  Gian  Galeazzo  would, 
that  day,  start  upon  a  pilgrimage  to  the 
shrine  of  our  Lady  at  Varese,  and  a  great 
concourse  had  assembled  to  see  him  de- 
part. In  the  square  upon  which  the 
palace  looked,  five  hundred  lancers  were 
drawn  up  to  await  the  Lord  of  Pavia,  half 
the  number  upon  one  side  and  half  upon 
the  other  side  of  the  palace  entrance.  A 
brave  sight  they  presented  as  Gian  Gale- 
azzo, Del  Verme,  the  captain  of  the  palace 
guard,  and  I  rode  out  into  the  piazza. 
Line  by  line,  troop  by  troop,  they  wheeled 
127 


128  A  Man-at-Arms 

into  marching  order,  and  in  their  midst 
we  four  passed  the  gateway  of  Santa  Maria 
in  Portica,  and  set  our  faces  toward  Milan. 
I  could  but  think,  as  we  held  our  way 
between  the  fields  and  orchards,  of  the 
change  that  had  come  over  my  life  since 
that  day,  by  no  means  far  distant,  when  I 
plodded  on  foot  along  the  same  roadway, 
trying  to  think  out  what  line  of  action  I 
should  follow,  perplexed  and  uncertain  as 
regards  my  future.  True,  I  had  made  no 
real  progress  in  that  which  I  had  resolved 
to  accomplish,  a  retraction  from  my  father 
of  the  foul  slander  he  had  put  upon  my 
mother's  name,  yet  I  had  a  feeling  that 
the  position  I  now  held  would  one  day 
help  me  in  carrying  out  my  purpose.  Of 
Angela  Canaro  and  her  father,  I  had  as 
yet  said  nothing  to  my  master.  As  I  rode 
back  from  my  mission  to  Milan,  I  deter- 
mined to  await  the  outcome  of  the  Varese 
pilgrimage  before  I  attempted  to  solicit 
Gian  Galeazzo's  assistance  in  their  behalf. 
Hartzheim's  words,  together  with  the  sub- 
sequent trend  of  events,  brought  me  to 
this  decision.  There  was  nothing  to  be 


The  Coup-de-Main  129 

gained  —  so  I  told  myself — by  speaking 
at  once,  and  a  delay,  even  provided  noth- 
ing came  of  the  meeting  between  nephew 
and  uncle,  could  do  no  harm  to  the  cause 
of  those  in  whom  I  was  interested. 

There  was  little  talk  between  Del 
Verme  and  the  Lord  of  Pavia  as  we  rode 
onward,  and  the  captain  of  the  palace 
guard  and  I  exchanged  scarcely  a  word. 
Among  the  men  there  was  no  merriment 
despite  the  fairness  of  the  sky  and  of  the 
fields,  and  although  the  pennons  fluttered 
somewhat  gayly  overhead,  and  there  was  a 
silvery  jingling  of  spurs  and  a  martial  clat- 
ter of  harness,  our  cavalcade  had  in  every 
respect  the  air  of  a  company  setting  out  to 
do  homage  at  a  distant  shrine.  Yet  I  am 
very  sure  religious  thoughts  stirred  not  a 
single  heart  in  all  that  grave  array. 

Our  pace  was  never  beyond  a  gentle 
amble,  as  befitted  the  day  and  my  master's 
announced  intent,  and  it  was  well  toward 
evening  before  we  reached  the  outskirts  of 
Benasco,  at  which  place  we  planned  to  pass 
the  night.  The  mayor  of  the  municipal- 
ity with  his  associates  came  forth  to  greet 


130  A  Man-at-Arms 

us,  and  conducted  Gian  Galeazzo  to  the 
house  of  the  chief  magistrate,  where  he  was 
to  be  entertained.  The  men  bivouacked  in 
the  public  buildings  and  the  castle,  which 
was  the  property  of  the  Visconti,  and  the 
officers  were  quartered  with  some  of  the 
leading  citizens.  That  evening,  with  a 
specially  selected  escort,  my  master  at- 
tended vespers  at  the  chief  church  of 
Benasco,  gave  a  large  offering  of  alms,  and 
appeared  to  be  particularly  earnest  in  his 
devotions.  It  was  then,  so  I  afterwards 
heard,  that  he  made  a  vow  to  the  Virgin, 
binding  himself,  should  the  expedition 
prove  favorable,  to  erect  some  holy  edi- 
fice. Out  of  this  vow  grew  the  stately 
Certosa  di  Pavia. 

When  we  rode  from  the  town  the  next 
morning,  my  place  was  with  Del  Verme 
and  my  master  well  in  the  van  of  the 
troops.  In  fact,  but  forty  lancers,  com- 
manded by  Hartzheim,  preceded  us,  ten 
lines  with  four  men  abreast.  Thus  were 
we  disposed  when  Hartzheim,  who  had 
been  riding  in  advance,  galloped  back  to 
announce  that  two  richly  arrayed  horse- 
men were  approaching. 


The  Coup-de-Main  131 

"  Very  likely  they  are  the  bearers  of 
messages  from  your  uncle  to  your  Lord- 
ship," said  the  German. 

"  Conduct  them  to  me  when  they  come 
up,"  said  my  master,  and  Hartzheim  hast- 
ened away  to  execute  his  order. 

"  When  they  approach,  seize  and  dis- 
arm them  whoever  they  are  ! "  exclaimed 
my  master,  addressing  Del  Verme. 

"  It  shall  be  as  you  command,"  an- 
swered the  soldier,  who  bade  me  give  the 
lancers  about  us  the  necessary  directions. 

The  lines  in  front  of  us  now  opened, 
and  between  them  came  Hartzheim,  con- 
ducting two  middle-aged  men  of  evident 
rank. 

"  Ah,  cousins,  a  fair  greeting !  "  cried 
Gian  Galeazzo  when  he  saw  them. 

"  A  fair  greeting  to  you !  "  cried  they, 
in  return;  but  before  they  could  speak  fur- 
ther they  were  suddenly  set  upon  by  the 
lancers  nearest  them  and  disarmed  before 
they  could  offer  the  least  resistance.  In 
vain  they  protested  to  Gian  Galeazzo, 
who,  without  the  least  exhibition  of  feel- 
ing, ordered  them  to  be  taken  to  the  rear. 


132  A  Man-at-Arms 

Thus  did  Ludovico  and  Rodolfo  Visconti 
disappear  from  the  public  stage. 

For  some  time  we  had  been  able  to  see 
the  spires  of  Milan,  and  now  as  the  walls 
came  plainly  into  view  my  master  began 
to  show  signs  of  nervousness.  He  moved 
uneasily  in  his  saddle,  and  as  I  cast  a  look 
at  him  covertly  from  the  corner  of  my  eye 
I  noticed  that  his  face  had  assumed  the 
colorless,  pasty  appearance  it  had  worn 
during  the  early  part  of  my  memorable  first 
meeting  with  him.  Hartzheim  had  sent 
back  word  that  a  number  of  mounted  men 
were  approaching,  and  Del  Verme  had  rid- 
den forward  to  view  them.  He  returned 
shortly  with  the  announcement, — 

"  It  is  your  Lordship's  uncle.  His 
escort  numbers  only  about  twenty-five. 
The  affair  will  be  an  easy  matter." 

The  Visconti's  countenance  gained  a 
little  color  at  this,  yet  he  was  still  visibly 
anxious. 

"  Keep  near  me,  Delia  Verria,"  he  said, 
"  and  have  your  eyes  open." 

There  was  not  a  shadow  of  doubt  in 
regard  to  what  was  about  to  happen. 


The  Coup-de-Main  133 

Bernabo  Visconti  was  to  be  made  a 
prisoner. 

We  had  now  approached  a  building  of 
considerable  size,  the  hospital  of  San  Am- 
brosio,  which  stood  near  where  the  road- 
way branched  toward  Varese.  The  lancers 
in  front  of  us  halted,  and  then  the  whole 
troop  came  to  a  standstill.  As  those  in 
the  van  wheeled  their  horses  to  one  side, 
we  descried  the  figure  of  Bernabo  Vis- 
conti, mounted  upon  a  white  mule,  riding 
several  paces  in  advance  of  his  attendants. 
Onward  he  came  between  the  array  of 
spears,  seemingly  unsuspicious  of  his  fate. 
I  looked  keenly  among  those  who  followed 
him,  but  discovered  neither  the  evil  face 
of  II  Brutto  nor  the  dark  countenance  of 
the  master  of  hounds. 

Gian  Galeazzo,  Del  Verme,  and  several 
others,  myself  among  the  number,  had 
dismounted  to  receive  the  Lord  of  Milan. 
As  two  guardsmen  grasped  the  bridle  of 
his  mule  and  Bernabo  sprang  to  the 
ground,  my  master  with  outstretched  arms 
and  pleasant  words  advanced  toward  his 
uncle,  who  suffered  himself  to  be  embraced. 


1 34  A  Man-at-Arms 

But  before  on  his  part  a  syllable  had 
been  spoken,  and  while  uncle  and  nephew 
had  scarcely  yet  parted  from  their  em- 
brace, I  heard  my  master's  voice  ring  out 
as  I  had  never  heard  it  before  —  "  Strike  !  " 

At  that  instant  a  clarion  sounded,  and 
while  the  lancers  swiftly  encompassed  the 
astonished  and  discomfited  Milanese,  Del 
Verme  presented  his  sword  at  Bernabo's 
breast  and  informed  him  that  he  was  a 
prisoner. 

The  whole  thing  was  so  quickly,  so 
quietly,  so  masterfully  done,  that  not  a 
drop  of  blood  was  shed,  and  not  one  of 
the  tyrant's  escort  escaped.  In  less  than 
half  an  hour  we  were  at  the  Vercellina 
gate,  and  not  a  hand  was  lifted  to  oppose 
our  triumphal  entry.  From  street  to 
street,  from  house  to  house,  as  by  aerial 
magic,  spread  the  news,  and  by  the  time 
we  reached  the  piazza  and  the  ancient 
palace  of  the  Delia  Torre  a  throng  had 
gathered  that,  with  unmistakable  acclama- 
tions of  joy,  hailed  Gian  Galeazzo  as  their 
deliverer. 

Signs  and  omens  were  not  lacking  in  the 


The  Coup-de-Main  135 

heavens  at  this  time,  foretelling  that  some 
great  event  was  about  to  take  place ;  for, 
according  to  Pietro  Azario,  a  learned  no- 
tary of  Novara,  Saturn,  Jupiter,  and  Mars 
were  then  in  the  House  of  the  Twins ; 
and,  eight  days  previous,  a  furious  bolt  of 
lightning  cast  down  from  the  summit  of 
Bernabo's  palace  that  stood  over  against 
the  church  of  San  Georgio,  a  gilded  viper, 
the  ensign  of  the  house  of  the  Visconti. 


Chapter  X 
The  Last  March  of  Bernabo 

NOT  many  days  after  the  seizure  of 
Bernabo  Visconti,  and  the  tri- 
umphal entry  of  Gian  Galeazzo  into  Milan, 
a  troop  of  fifty  men-at-arms  gathered  in 
the  courtyard  of  the  palace  which  had 
formerly  been  the  chief  residence  of  the 
Milan  despot.  My  master  had  already 
transferred  his  household  from  Pavia, 
those  of  Bernabo's  retainers  who  had  not 
fled  had  either  been  sent  into  exile  or  im- 
prisoned, and  Gian  Galeazzo  had  been 
proclaimed  the  ruler  of  the  city.  Many 
of  the  towns  that  had  formerly  owed  al- 
legiance to  Bernabo  had  hastened  to  swear 
fealty  to  the  new  lord,  and  each  succeed- 
ing day  gave  evidence  that  throughout 
Lombardy,  wherever  the  news  spread, 
136 


The  Last  March  of  Bernabo     137 

folk    hailed    with    delight    the    change  so 
subtly  and  bloodlessly  wrought. 

In  the  centre  of  the  troop  of  men-at- 
arms,  all  of  whom  were  mounted,  his  arms 
pinioned  to  his  sides,  sat  a  man  who  for 
many  a  year  had  inspired  fear  not  only 
within  rhe  walls  of  the  fair  city  which  he 
ruled,  but  throughout  all  the  fertile  region 
over  which  his  dominion  extended.  To 
what  was  passing  about  him  he  gave  no 
heed.  With  head  half  bent,  and  eyes 
fixed  and  vacant,  he  seemed  unconscious 
of  the  curious  scrutiny  of  the  troopers 
who  surrounded  him.  Only  once  did  I 
notice  any  shade  of  emotion  upon  his  face, 
and  this  was  when  he  raised  his  eyes  and 
found  me  sitting  upon  Hawkwood  at  his 
left.  Then,  with  the  look  of  recognition, 
there  came  a  sharp  contraction  of  his  heavy 
brows,  which  instantly  disappeared  as  he 
glanced  at  Hartzheim  stationed  upon  his 
other  side.  Presently  Del  Verme  emerged 
from  the  palace,  mounted,  and  placed 
himself  at  the  head  of  the  troop.  As  we 
rode  from  the  courtyard  into  the  piazza 
a  low  murmur  rose  from  the  crowd  there 


138  A  Man-at-Arms 

awaiting  our  appearance,  a  murmur  that 
swelled  into  a  shout  of  exultation.  If 
Bernabo  was  stirred  by  the  outcry,  no  line 
of  his  countenance  showed  it.  He  did 
not  even  glance  toward  the  sea  of  faces 
that  heaved  about  us  in  such  a  passionate 
mingling  of  hate  and  joy,  —  hate  of  the 
fallen  tyrant,  and  joy  that  his  power  was 
at  an  end.  The  young  and  the  old,  the 
high  and  the  low,  one  and  all,  regardless 
of  condition  or  sex,  from  street,  from 
window,  and  from  housetop,  flung  their 
taunts  and  their  execrations  at  the  de- 
posed tyrant.  But  not  until  we  had  passed 
beyond  the  walls  did  the  feeling  which  the 
acts  of  Bernabo  had  inspired  become  fully 
evident.  As  we  turned  our  faces  toward 
Monza  we  saw,  dotted  here  and  there  for 
some  distance,  groups  of  peasants  who 
had  gathered  by  the  roadside.  As  we 
neared  the  first  group,  which  was  com- 
posed of  both  men  and  women,  perhaps 
a  dozen  in  number,  a  shrill  outcry  was 
raised,  the  voices  of  the  women  mounting 
high  above  those  of  the  men,  fierce, 
clamorous,  and  vindictive. 


The  Last  March  of  Bernabo     139 

"  Let  us  see  the  face  of  the  devil  !  Let 
us  see  how  he  looks  ! "  they  cried,  press- 
ing close  to  us,  and  searching  eagerly  for 
him  who  rode  in  our  midst.  When  they 
saw  Bernabo,  with  his  arms  pinioned  and 
his  head  averted,  mighty  was  the  shout 
that  went  up.  Another  group  now  came 
hastening  toward  us,  unable,  in  their  eager- 
ness to  gaze  upon  their  persecutor  in  his 
abasement,  to  wait  until  we  had  reached 
them.  A  woman  led  them,  wild  of  eye 
and  with  streaming  hair.  With  gleeful 
cries  and  frantic  motions  of  her  arms  she 
bade  her  companions  hurry  on. 

"  There  he  is  !  "  she  shrieked,  flinging  a 
long  skinny  finger  at  Bernabo.  "  I  should 
know  him  in  the  blackest  night.  O  you 
fiend  out  of  hell,  you  shall  behold  your 
work  !  "  Into  the  crowd  she  plunged  and 
drew  one  forth  by  the  hand  whose  face 
was  a  horror  to  see,  for  where  the  eyes  had 
been  stared  two  burned  and  blackened 
holes. 

"  Look  !  look  !  "  the  woman  cried,  in  a 
voice  so  commanding  that  even  Bernabo 
was  constrained  to  gaze  toward  her ;  "  this 


140  A  Man-at-Arms 

is  my  son,  my  only  son.  What  crime  did 
he  commit  ?  What  wrong  did  he  do  ? 
none !  but  two  dogs  of  which  he  had 
charge  sickened  and  died,  and  you  must 
have  his  eyes  plucked  out.  Curse  him, 
my  son  !  " 

"  Aye  !  curse  him  with  me  !  "  exclaimed 
a  stalwart  fellow,  lifting  the  stump  of  his 
right  arm  as  he  hurled  an  awful  impreca- 
tion at  Bernabo. 

"  And  with  me  !  "  another  cried,  who,  to 
keep  pace  with  us,  made  desperate  leaps 
upon  his  crutch  over  the  uneven  ground. 

So  for  a  mile  and  more  this  pitiful 
scene  was  enacted.  At  first  it  seemed  to 
have  but  little  effect  upon  our  prisoner, 
but  after  a  time  I  perceived  that  he  began 
to  shake  like  one  having  the  ague  or 
palsy.  He  gnawed  his  lip,  he  glanced 
apprehensively  from  side  to  side  as  though 
he  feared  that  the  enraged  men  and  women 
would  burst  through  our  ranks,  drag  him 
from  his  horse,  and  rend  him  in  pieces. 
Indeed,  I  could  but  feel  that  this  was  the 
fate  he  deserved. 

It  was  a  vast  relief  when  we  at  length 


The  Last  March  of  Bernabo     141 

left  the  last  group  of  the  wronged  and 
maimed  behind.  The  sights  I  had  wit- 
nessed, the  tales  I  had  heard,  were  burned 
deep  into  my  brain,  and  I  began  to  won- 
der if  the  man  by  whose  side  I  rode  was 
not  some  incarnation  of  evil  sent  upon 
earth  to  scourge  humanity.  As  for  Hartz- 
heim,  I  noticed  that  he  shrank  away  from 
Bernabo  as  though  he  were  one  afflicted 
with  the  black  death. 

It  lacked  yet  an  hour  of  noon  when  we 
rode  into  Monza.  Our  appearance,  how- 
ever, created  but  little  stir  in  the  streets, 
for  Bernabo  was  not  recognized.  True, 
one  of  the  troopers  bore  the  ensign  of 
Gian  Galeazzo,  the  ensign  which  later  was 
to  inspire  dread  throughout  entire  north- 
ern Italy,  but  it  then  stood  for  nothing  in 
the  eyes  of  the  beholders.  The  design 
was  that  of  a  serpent  from  whose  mouth 
was  issuing  a  naked  child.  This  it  was 
that,  in  after  time,  caused  Gian  Galeazzo 
Visconti  to  be  called  the  Great  Serpent,  or 
the  Great  Viper,  //  Biscione. 

We  had  just  debouched  into  the  piazza, 
and  were  riding  in  loose  rank,  save  the 


142  A  Man-at-Arms 

few  of  us  who  were  directly  about  Ber- 
nabo,  when  a  dull  sound  as  of  the  hoofs 
of  many  horses  came  suddenly  to  my  ear. 

"  What  is  that  ? "  I  called  to  Hartz- 
heim,  as  I  reined  Hawkwood. 

He,  too,  had  heard  the  noise,  as  had 
others  among  our  comrades,  and  there 
were  curious  glances  cast  in  the  direction 
from  which  it  proceeded.  None  of  us, 
however,  dreamed  what  was  about  to 
occur.  Del  Verme's  attention  was  now 
attracted  by  the  growing  sound,  and  he 
had  little  more  than  given  the  order  to 

O 

close  ranks  when  a  band  of  thirty  horse- 
men burst  into  the  square  a  little  in  ad- 
vance upon  our  right,  and  charged  at  full 
tilt  diagonally  down  upon  us. 

We  had  come  forth  anticipating  no  such 
encounter,  and  there  were  not  more  than 
a  dozen  lances  among  us,  while  there  were 
twice  that  number  in  the  attacking  party, 
so  while  we  had  fifty  men  and  they  but 
thirty,  they  had  at  the  outset  the  distinct 
advantage.  Moreover,  many  of  us  had 
donned  only  the  very  lightest  body  armor, 
while  our  assailants  were  armed  cap-a-pie. 


The  Last  March  of  Bernabo     143 

Scarcely  had  our  dozen  lancers  time  to 
form  in  front  for  the  protection  of  the  rest 
of  our  troop  when  our  foe  was  upon  us, 
and  we  were  borne  backward  by  the  im- 
petus of  the  onset. 

"  A  rescue  !  a  rescue  !  "  was  the  cry  they 
raised,  and  I  heard  Del  Verme  shout 
above  the  din  of  the  melee, — 

"  Look  out  for  the  prisoner !  " 

Indeed,  I  had  quite  forgotten  him  in  the 
suddenness  of  the  attack,  and  now  that  I 
turned  to  look  at  him  I  found  his  mien 
had  changed  from  that  of  sullen  submis- 
sion to  that  of  enraged  resistance.  He 
was  tugging  fiercely  at  the  bonds  that  pin- 
ioned his  arms,  and  was  galling  the  horse 
he  bestrode  so  viciously  with  the  stirrup 
that  the  animal  plunged  and  snorted  and 
threatened  to  do  serious  injury. 

"  Be  quiet,  you  hound  of  hell ! "  I 
heard  Hartzheim  cry,  as  he  flashed  his 
sword  before  Bernabo's  eyes.  Then  I 
realized  that  I  must  have  a  care  for  my 
own  safety. 

At  the  first  onrush  I  had  been  so 
hedged  about  by  others  that  none  of  the 


144  A  Man-at-Arms 

foe  came  near  me,  but  now  that  our  ranks 
had  in  a  measure  been  broken,  the  men 
were  fighting  in  little  groups,  and  against 
those  of  us  about  Bernabo  the  most 
desperate  attack  was  presently  directed. 
Lances  had  been  cast  aside,  and  we  were 
engaged  with  our  swords  hand  to  hand. 
So  many  of  our  troop  had  been  unhorsed 
or  slain  in  the  first  contact  that  we  now 
fought  with  almost  equal  numbers  ;  indeed 
it  seemed  to  me  that  the  fortune  of  the 
day  appeared  to  be  going  against  us.  I 
could  hear  Del  Verme's  shouts  of  cheer 
from  the  other  side  of  the  press,  and  see- 
ing Hartzheim  had  pushed  his  way  to  a 
place  upon  my  left,  I  concluded  that  he 
had  given  Bernabo  into  another's  charge. 
Presently  there  was  such  a  bickering  of 
steel  as  I  had  never  before  known,  the  like 
of  which  I  was  not  to  behold  again  in 
many  a  day.  Had  not  Hartzheim  been 
close  at  hand  to  encourage  and  aid  me  I 
doubt  if  I  should  have  come  off  as  well  as 
I  did ;  for  despite  all  my  training  and 
instruction  at  his  hands,  I  was  far  from 
being  wholly  at  home  in  the  saddle.  I 


The  Last  March  of  Bernabo     145 

owed  much  also  to  Hawk  wood,  who 
seemed,  undirected,  always  to  make  the 
right  move. 

My  comrade  and  I  had  just  given  two 
lusty  fellows  so  sharp  a  taste  of  our  blades 
that  they  were  glad  to  rein  to  the  edge  of 
the  fray,  when  I  saw  two  riders  forcing 
their  way  toward  us,  cutting  right  and  left 
as  they  came.  The  beavers  of  both  men 
were  raised,  and  I  recognized  them  in- 
stantly. They  were  the  leaders  of  the 
attack,  II  Brutto,  Bernabo's  son,  and 
Marzo,  his  master  of  the  hounds.  I  had 
not  more  than  time  to  communicate  to 
Hartzheim  who  they  were  ere  they  were 
upon  us.  Marzo  was  my  antagonist,  and 
he  assailed  me  with  a  ferocity  I  had  never 
before  encountered.  Almost  unprotected 
as  I  was  by  armor,  a  light  coat  of  linked 
mail  being  the  only  bit  of  harness  that  I 
wore,  it  seemed  for  a  few  seconds  that  I 
was  doomed,  but  the  fact  that  I  was  un- 
incumbered  really  proved  my  salvation. 
Though  the  force  of  my  antagonist's 
strokes  several  times  came  near  beating 
down  my  guard,  the  complete  freedom  of 


146  A  Man-at-Arms 

my  arm  enabled  me  the  more  readily  to 
parry,  while  I  could  twist  and  turn  and 
bend  unhampered  by  the  cumbersome 
plates  and  joints  of  steel.  Had  I  been  on 
foot,  and  had  the  man  opposed  to  me  been 
as  I  was,  but  lightly  protected,  despite  his 
terrible  strength  I  should  not  have  felt 
compelled  to  stand  so  entirely  upon  the 
defensive.  I  should  not  have  wondered,  as 
I  now  did,  how  long  it  would  be  before  he 
would  overpower  me  by  sheer  might.  My 
suppleness,  my  nimbleness,  would  have 
told  for  something  more  than  mere  evasion. 

I  could  see  that  my  resistance  was  fast 
working  Marzo  into  a  more  fiery  rage. 
He  flung  out  an  awful  oath. 

"By  the  blood  of  Christ!"  said  he; 
"  what  power  protects  you  ?  " 

I  saw  him  rise  in  his  stirrups,  and  my 
blade  went  up  to  meet  the  downward  rush 
of  his  steel.  But  the  blow  never  came.  I 
was  conscious  of  a  gleaming  line  of  light 
and  an  arm  thrust  between  us.  As  Hawk- 
wood  swerved  to  make  room  for  the  horse 
of  Hartzheim,  out  from  under  Marzo's 
gorget  came  a  bright  spurt  of  blood,  and 


The  Death  of  the  Master  of  the  Hounds.  —  Page  146 


The  Last  March  of  Bernabo     147 

the  body  of  Bernabo's  master  of  hounds 
fell  forward  upon  the  neck  of  his  steed,  a 
limp  and  lifeless  thing. 

II  Brutto  had  already  fled  discomfited, 
and  with  his  disappearance  and  Marzo's 
death  the  soul  animating  the  attack  was 
gone.  The  others  soon  took  to  their 
heels. 

A  sorry  sight  was  the  piazza  of  Monza 
after  the  flight  of  our  assailants.  Pres- 
ently the  terrified  townsfolk  ventured  out 
and  assisted  us  in  removing  the  bodies  of 
the  dead  and  in  caring  for  the  wounded. 
Leaving  those  who  were  unable  to  mount 
in  the  charge  of  some  of  the  kindly-hearted 
citizens,  our  thinned  and  scarred  troop 
rode  forward  with  our  prisoner  in  our 
midst.  Bernabo's  mood  had  again  be- 
come that  of  sullen  dejection,  and  scarcely 
once  through  the  long  hours  of  our  march 
did  he  raise  his  head,  not  even  when  we 
passed  through  the  gateway  of  the  fortress 
of  Trezzo,  which  he  himself  had  caused 
to  be  raised  on  the  banks  of  the  rushing 
Adda,  from  which  he  never  reappeared  to 
the  eyes  of  man. 


Chapter   XI 
The  Face  at  the  Casement 

SOON  after  Gian  Galeazzo  Visconti 
was  established  as  Lord  of  Milan,  he 
entered  into  a  league  with  the  Lord  of 
Padua,  the  Marquis  of  Ferrara,  and  the 
Marquis  of  Mantua,  for  the  purpose  of 
freeing  Italy  from  the  companies  of  Ger- 
man, French,  and  English  mercenaries, 
that,  under  the  nominal  employ  of  vari- 
ous petty  princes,  had  incited  wars  and 
devastated  country  and  town  in  wanton 
pillage.  Great  things  were  hoped  for  as 
the  outcome  of  this  confederation.  A 
banner  with  a  blue  field  was  chosen, 
whereupon  the  inscription  "  Pax "  was 
emblazoned.  A  new  era  was  to  be  in- 
augura.ted,  an  era  of  peace  and  good  will. 
In  this  movement  my  master  was  the 
148 


The  Face  at  the  Casement       149 

impelling  force,  and  at  first  no  one  ques- 
tioned his  sincerity.  His  well-known 
timidity,  his  apparent  love  of  justice,  his 
fondness  for  quiet  and  scholarly  pursuits, 
made  it  seem  natural  that  he  should  wish 
to  live  in  amity  with  all  men.  His  over- 
throw of  Bernabo  was  looked  upon  merely 
as  a  matter  of  self-preservation. 

Upon  the  business  of  the  league  I  was 
despatched  far  and  near,  and  one  of  my 
first  missions  was  to  Padua,  whither  I  was 
sent  with  important  letters  to  the  lord  of 
the  city,  Francesco  da  Carrara.  When 
Gian  Galeazzo  gave  me  his  commands, 
my  heart  leaped  with  delight,  and  for  two 
reasons.  Padua  had  been  my  mother's 
home,  and  I  deemed  that  there,  if  any- 
where, I  should  be  able  to  get  some  trace 
of  the  surviving  members  of  her  family. 
To  them  I  intended  to  make  myself 
known,  and  through  them  I  hoped  to 
come  to  an  understanding  of  my  father's 
unnatural  and,  I  felt  sure,  unfounded 
aspersions  upon  my  mother's  memory. 

The  other  reason  for  the  quickening 
of  my  pulse  was  the  fact  that  my  journey 


150  A   Man-at-Arms 

would  take  me  through  Brescia,  whither 
my  thoughts  had  daily  turned  during  the 
weeks  that  had  elapsed  since  my  advent- 
urous experiences  there.  Perhaps  I 
should  see  Angela  Canaro  again  !  Cer- 
tainly I  should  make  bold  to  call  upon 
her  father,  to  express  my  regret  at  Ar- 
dotti's  sad  end,  the  news  of  which  came 
soon  after  my  master's  entry  into  Milan, 
and  hope  whispered  in  my  ear  that  pos- 
sibly there  might  be  a  second  face  to  give 
me  greeting  at  the  palace  of  the  Canari. 

But  my  fair  anticipations  were  destined 
to  be  frosted  by  disappointment.  Signor 
Canaro  was  not  in  Brescia,  and  when  I 
ventured  to  ask  the  servant  who  answered 
my  summons  if  his  master  were  likely  to 
be  long  absent  (I  had  it  in  my  mind  that 
perhaps  I  might  find  him  when  I  rode 
back  from  Padua),  the  evasive  reply  I 
received  showed  me  that  my  inquiries 
were  regarded  with  suspicion.  Recalling 
that  on  my  first  visit  to  Brescia,  Signorina 
Canaro  had  just  returned  from  Verona, 
I  haunted  the  streets  and  public  places 
of  the  latter  city  a  whole  day  in  the  hope 


The  Face  at  the  Casement       151 

of  getting  a  glimpse  of  father  or  daughter. 
It  was  in  vain  that  I  did  so.  And  yet, 
notwithstanding  my  lack  of  success,  it  was 
only  the  urgency  of  my  mission  that  pre- 
vented me  from  continuing  the  search. 

At  Padua  another  blow  awaited  me.  I 
learned  that  my  mother's  only  surviving 
near  relative  was  a  cousin,  the  son  of  the 
uncle  and  aunt  by  whom  she  had  been 
reared,  one  who  had  been  a  wanderer  for 
years,  returning  to  his  home  only  at  rare 
intervals.  From  the  steward  who  had 
charge  of  his  property  —  for  he  still  had 
interests  in  Padua —  I  ascertained  that  he 
was  at  present  somewhere  in  Germany, 
the  man  could  not  say  exactly  where,  as  he 
had  received  no  communication  from  him 
for  several  months.  The  best  that  I 
could  do  was  to  despatch  a  letter  to  my 
cousin,  acquainting  him  with  my  existence 
(of  which  I  was  by  no  means  sure  he  was 
aware,  since  during  my  recollection  there 
had  been  no  communication  between  my 
father  and  my  mother's  kin)  and  with  my 
earnest  desire  to  see  him,  and  begging 
him  when  he  should  return  to  Padua,  to 


152  A  Man-at-Arms 

inform  me  of  the  fact.  This  done,  and 
my  mission  to  Francesco  da  Carrara 
accomplished,  I  set  my  face  disconsolately 
toward  Milan. 

Had  I  had  time,  at  this  juncture,  to 
indulge  in  much  reflection,  I  doubt  not  I 
should  have  given  myself  over  to  melan- 
choly ;  but  hardly  had  I  returned  and 
made  my  report  to  Gian  Galeazzo  before 
I  was  again  bidden  to  ride  forth.  So  for 
several  months  after  my  mission  to  Padua 
I  had  little  chance  to  brood  over  my  ill- 
success  in  seeing  the  lady  of  my  heart  and 
in  finding  the  last  representative  of  my 
mother's  family.  But  at  length  there 
came  a  period  of  inaction.  I  was  no 
longer  sent  hither  and  yon  upon  the 
business  of  the  league.  The  confederation 
which  had  promised  so  fairly  at  the  outset, 
upon  which  all  those  really  interested  in  the 
prosperity  and  peace  of  Italy  based  such 
high  hopes,  seemed  likely  to  fail,  to  be 
completely  abandoned.  The  cause  of  its 
failure,  so  I  one  day  heard  my  master 
aver,  was  the  jealousy  and  suspicion  with 
which  its  promoters  regarded  one  another. 


The  Face  at  the  Casement       153 

Gian  Galeazzo  professed  himself  to  be 
entirely  free  from  any  such  feeling,  and 
placed  the  blame  entirely  upon  his  con- 
federates ;  but  I,  who  had  seen  much  of 
the  inner  workings  of  the  league,  was 
not  to  be  deceived  by  his  words.  In 
fact,  I  soon  made  up  my  mind  that  it 
was  the  Visconti  alone  who  was  respon- 
sible for  the  dissolution  of  the  confedera- 
tion. 

This  discovery  did  not  add  to  my 
happiness.  Up  to  this  time  I  had  looked 
upon  my  master  as  a  man  of  honor,  one 
whose  ambitions  were  higher  than  the 
other  rulers  of  the  day,  who  had  in  view 
the  good  of  those  whom  he  governed. 
I  had  always  realized  that  his  nature  was 
shrewd  and  calculating  rather  than  sympa- 
thetic, but  his  intentions  I  had  never 
mistrusted.  Now  I  began  to  see  that  he 
was  avaricious  both  of  wealth  and  power. 
Before  many  months  I  was  to  learn  that  he 
was  totally  unscrupulous.  The  pleasure 
and  pride  I  had  always  taken  in  serving 
him  were  gone,  and  I  grew  moody  and 
discontented. 


154  A  Man-at-Arms 

Hartzheim  rallied  me  for  what  he  called 
my  visionary  ideas. 

"  They  are  all  the  same,  these  lords  and 
princes,"  said  he.  "  I  could  have  told  you 
what  you  now  know  long  ago." 

But  in  spite  of  my  friend's  bantering, 
and  the  general  good  cheer  which  he  suf- 
fused, my  spirits  continued  under  a  cloud. 
The  future  looked  dark.  I  heard  nothing 
from  Padua ;  I  had  almost  ceased  to  hope 
that  I  should  ever  see  Angela  Canaro 
again,  although  I  thought  of  her  by  day 
and  dreamed  of  her  by  night ;  and  as  for 
my  father,  from  him  came  neither  word 
nor  sign  to  show  that  he  cared  whether  I 
were  living  or  dead. 

One  afternoon  late  in  the  winter  of 
1387,  when  the  heat  of  the  sun  had  begun 
to  temper  the  dampness  and  chill  of  the 
air,  as  I  was  leaving  the  palace  in  search 
of  Hartzheim,  it  chancing  that  we  were 
both  off  duty,  I  encountered  three  horse- 
men with  their  attendants  about  halting 
at  the  gateway.  In  the  foremost  of  the 
riders  I  recognized  a  man  whom  I  had 
seen  at  the  court  of  the  Lord  of  Padua, 


The   Face  at  the  Casement       155 

one  high  in  the  councils  of  that  ruler. 
Later  in  the  day  I  met  him  again  —  this 
time  passing  through  one  of  the  corridors 
of  the  palace  in  earnest  conversation  with 
my  master. 

"  Are  they  going  to  attempt  to  revive 
the  league,"  I  thought,  "  or  is  something 
else  on  foot  ?  " 

The  strangers  remained  two  days  in 
Milan,  then  rode  away,  and  they  passed 
from  my  mind  until  a  morning  two  weeks 
later  when  I  was  summoned  into  Gian 
Galeazzo's  presence. 

"  You  have  been  low-spirited  of  late, 
Delia  Verria,"  he  said ;  "  though  I  have 
seen  little  of  you  that  has  not  escaped  me. 
Inaction,  I  know,  is  like  a  disease  to 
young  blood,  and  I  have  called  you  to 
me  to  set  you  riding  again,  even  as  far  as 
Padua." 

My  master  smiled  as  he  noted  the  look 
of  pleasure  that  crossed  my  face. 

"  It  is  good  news  to  you,  I  see,"  he 
remarked. 

"  It  is  indeed,"  I  said,  leaving  him  to 
infer  that  the  cause  of  my  manifest  delight 


156  A  Man-at-Arms 

was  the  thought  of  being  once  more  in  the 
saddle. 

"  I  should  like  to  have  you  start  at 
once.  Here  is  a  letter  which  you  are  to 
deliver  to  Francesco  da  Carrara,  or  to  his 
son,  Francesco  Novello.  You  shall  not 
lack  for  that  which  will  stir  your  blood 
now,  Delia  Verria.  I  remember  once 
hearing  you  say  that  you  did  not  wish  to 
remain  behind  if  there  were  active  service 
in  the  field.  Well,  you  shall  soon  have 
your  desire." 

I  did  not  need  to  have  the  meaning  of 
these  words  explained  to  me.  The  men 
from  Padua  had  been  ambassadors  from 
Francesco  da  Carrara,  to  solicit  the  assist- 
ance of  Gian  Galeazzo  against  Antonio 
della  Scala  of  Verona,  with  whom  the 
Lord  of  Padua  had  been  engaged  in  con- 
flict for  nearly  a  year.  I  was  to  be  the 
bearer  of  the  missive  announcing  the  Vis- 
conti's  decision  to  render  the  requested 
aid.  Had  I  but  known  what  was  erelong 
to  happen,  with  how  earnest  a  warning 
against  such  an  alliance  would  I  have 
delivered  this  letter ;  for  Francesco  da 


The  Face  at  the  Casement       157 

Carrara  was  a  noble  prince,  one  who  in 
no  wise  deserved  to  be  drawn  into  the 
snares  that  Gian  Galeazzo  finally  wove  for 
his  undoing !  But  I  was  no  seer,  and 
could  not  read  the  stars,  nor  could  I 
detect  the  subtle  schemes  that  had  begun 
to  take  form  within  my  master's  brain. 

"  Your  Lordship  has  ever  been  most 
gracious  to  me,"  I  said. 

"  There  may  be  greater  rewards  than 
you  have  dreamed  of  in  store  for  you,  if 
you  continue  to  serve  me  well." 

I  thanked  my  master,  deep  in  my  heart 
the  while  regretting  that  I  had  lost  faith 
in  his  truth  and  high  purpose. 

"  Here  is  another  missive  which  I  shall 
ask  you  to  deliver  on  your  way  to  Padua," 
said  the  Visconti,  holding  out  to  me  a 
second  folded  and  sealed  slip  of  parch- 
ment. "It  is  to  be  given  to  a  citizen  of 
Brescia,  a  man  well  known,  so  that  you 
will  have  no  difficulty  in  finding  his  resi- 
dence. His  name,  as  you  will  see  by  the 
superscription,  is  Vincenzo  Canaro." 

It  was  well  that  I  glanced  down  at  the 
letter,  as  Gian  Galeazzo  referred  to  the 


158  A  Man-at-Arms 

address,  else  had  he  surely  seen  by  the  ex- 
pression of  my  countenance  that  the  name 
was  not  new  to  my  ears.  Why,  I  cannot 
say,  there  now  came  over  me  a  feeling  of 
relief  at  the  thought  that  I  had  never 
appealed  to  my  master  in  behalf  of  Signor 
Canaro  and  his  daughter,  —  that  Gian 
Galeazzo  was  not  aware  that  I  had  any 
knowledge  of  their  existence. 

My  mind  was  busy  with  conjectures  in 
regard  to  what  the  second  missive  might 
contain  as  I  bowed  myself  from  my  mas- 
ter's presence,  and  went  to  prepare  for 
my  journey.  Yet,  puzzle  as  I  would  over 
the  matter,  I  could  arrive  at  no  satisfac- 
tory conclusion.  One  thing,  however, 
seemed  likely;  namely,  that  Signor  Canaro 
was  in  Brescia,  and  that  I  would  see  him. 
Should  I  see  the  lovely  face  of  his  daugh- 
ter as  well,  and,  if  so,  would  she  remember 
me  ?  Again,  as  many  times  before,  my 
breast  was  torn  by  fears,  —  fears  that  her 
heart,  and  indeed  her  hand,  might  by  this 
time  have  been  given  to  another.  "Oh, 
you  fond  fool,"  I  had  often  said  to  my- 
self, "  how  can  you  be  so  senseless  as  to 


The  Face  at  the  Casement       159 

imagine  that  in  the  brief  meeting  at  her 
home  she  bestowed  upon  you  more  than 
the  polite  attention  she  would  naturally 
give  to  a  guest !  "  And  yet  each  time  I 
thus  upbraided  my  folly  there  came  back 
to  my  memory  her  look  at  parting. 
Truly  the  doting  lover  will  pin  his  hopes 
upon  the  most  intangible  things  ! 

Hawkwood  was  as  glad  as  I  to  be  out 
under  the  blue  vault  of  the  sky  once 
more,  and  famous  was  the  progress  that 
we  made.  As  we  passed,  at  the  verge  of 
noon,  through  the  outskirts  of  Treviglio, 
I  noticed  in  the  stable  yard  of  a  well-kept 
little  inn  two  sleek-limbed  horses  and  two 
fine  palfreys.  "  Some  people  of  quality 
are  riding  abroad,"  I  thought;  and,  glanc- 
ing at  the  inn  windows,  I  had  a  flitting 
view  of  a  face  at  one  of  the  upper  case- 
ments. The  sight  startled  me,  and  I 
reined  Hawkwood,  but  I  saw  no  further 
sign  of  the  occupant  of  the  room  though  I 
scrutinized  the  casement  several  minutes. 
I  was  half  minded  to  pause  at  the  inn  for 
refreshments  instead  of  at  one  further  on, 
where  I  had  formerly  been  well  served ; 


160  A   Man-at-Arms 

but  finally,  with  a  smile  at  what  seemed 
my  foolish  fancy,  I  rode  on.  The  face 
at  the  window  had  reminded  me  of  Angela 
Canaro.  Had  I  yielded  to  my  impulse, 
how  different  might  have  been  the  after 
pages  of  this  history  ! 

That  evening,  for  the  third  time,  I 
stood  looking  at  the  arms  of  the  Canari 
above  the  palace  entrance  while  I  waited 
for  an  answer  to  my  summons. 

"  Is  Signor  Canaro  within  ? "  I  asked 
of  the  servant  who  presently  appeared. 
"  I  have  a  missive  for  him  from  the  Lord 
of  Milan." 

"  Signor  Canaro  left  for  Milan  on  the 
afternoon  of  yesterday,"  was  the  reply  I 
received.  "  He  was  to  pass  the  night  at 
Chiari,  and  should  by  this  time  have 
reached  his  destination." 

"  And  the  Signorina  ?  "  I  exclaimed, 
amazed  and  disappointed  at  the  news. 

"  Accompanied  him,  Signore." 

Then  it  had  not  been  my  imagination. 
It  was  the  face  of  Angela  Canaro  that  I 
had  seen  at  the  casement  of  the  inn  at 
Treviglio ! 


Chapter    XII 
At    Padua 

ON  the  evening  of  the  following 
day  but  one  I  wandered  out  into 
the  streets  of  Padua.  I  had  delivered  the 
communication  from  my  master  into  the 
hands  of  Francesco  da  Carrara,  and  had 
endeavored  vainly  to  find  my  cousin's 
steward.  He  had  left  the  city  for  a  day 
or  two.  Should  I  await  his  return,  and 
endeavor  to  learn  if  he  knew  anything 
more  definite  in  regard  to  my  cousin's 
whereabouts  ?  Reason  said  that  this  was 
the  thing  to  do,  yet  something  in  my 
heart  urged  me  back  to  Milan.  I  had 
been  unable  to  dismiss  the  Treviglio  inci- 
dent from  my  mind,  and  a  hundred  times 
had  I  upbraided  my  perverseness  in  not 
following  my  impulse  to  stop  at  the  inn. 

M  1 6  I 


1 62  A  Man-at-Arms 

My  only  solace  was  the  thought  that 
Angela  Canaro  and  her  father  were  at 
Milan.  I  told  myself  that  I  was  pretty 
sure  to  get  trace  of  them,  inasmuch  as  all 
indication  pointed  to  some  matter  of  com- 
mon interest  (and  of  considerable  im- 
portance) between  my  master  and  Signer 
Canaro  —  what,  I  was  wholly  at  a  loss  to 
imagine.  Sooner  or  later  I  was  likely  to 
encounter  the  Brescian  noble  at  the  palace, 
if  I  did  not  chance  upon  him  elsewhere. 

While  I  was  thus  ruminating  I  gave 
small  heed  to  whither  my  steps  were  lead- 
ing me,  and  did  not  realize  that  I  had 
strayed  into  a  little-frequented  street. 
There  was  a  half  moon  in  a  clear  sky,  and 
the  air  was  soft  with  the  first  breath  of 
spring.  As  I  passed  the  entrance  to  an 
alley-way  that  was  packed  with  gloom,  I 
grew  suddenly  conscious  of  a  sense  of 
danger.  But  the  intuition  came  too  late  to 
enable  me  to  escape  unharmed.  I  have 
always  believed,  however,  that  it  saved  my 
life,  for  the  movement  which  I  involun- 
tarily made  caused  the  blow,  which  other- 
wise must  have  crushed  my  head  to  a 


At  Padua  163 

jelly,  to  fall  obliquely.  I  reeled  against 
the  wall,  vainly  clutching  at  it  with  one 
hand  for  support,  while  with  the  other  I 
recall  that  I  attempted  to  draw  my  sword. 
Then  there  came  a  black  blur  before  my 
eyes,  and  I  thought  myself  falling,  falling, 
through  bottomless  depths  of  space. 

A  bright  light  that  dazed  me  when  I 
tried  to  look  at  it  brought  me  to  a  reali- 
zation of  regained  consciousness.  I  felt 
myself  lifted  and  borne  along  some  dis- 
tance. Then  there  came  a  halt,  and  I 
heard  the  swinging  back  of  doors.  Soon 
I  knew  that  I  was  being  carried  up  a  stair- 
way, then  the  arms  that  had  held  me  so 
firmly  were  loosened,  and  I  was  laid  upon 
a  couch  which  seemed  so  deliciously  soft 
that  I  remember  thinking  it  must  be 
eider-down. 

Another  day  had  come  when  I  once 
more  opened  my  eyes.  The  room  in 
which  I  found  myself  was  lofty  and  spa- 
cious. There  were  rich  tapestries  upon  the 
walls,  and  the  ceiling  was  beautifully  deco- 
rated with  a  fresco  of  vines  and  flowers. 
The  couch  which  had  seemed  so  soft  the 


164  A  Man-at-Arms 

night  before  proved  to  be  a  great  bedstead 
elaborately  carved.  I  raised  myself  upon 
my  elbow  and  looked  about  me.  There 
was  no  one  in  the  room.  I  saw  my  clothes 
upon  a  chair  near  the  bed,  and  after  sitting 
up,  and  finding  that  I  had  lost  but  little 
strength,  I  began  slowly  to  get  into  them. 
I  was  dizzy  at  first,  but,  as  I  progressed, 
this  feeling  passed  away.  I  took  a  swallow 
of  wine  from  a  decanter  which  stood  upon 
the  table,  and  presently,  when  I  had  bathed 
my  head,  which,  in  one  particular  spot,  was 
painfully  sore,  I  felt  quite  myself,  save  for 
a  slight  unsteadiness  when  I  tried  to  walk. 

While  I  was  contemplating  which  of  the 
two  doors  issuing  from  the  apartment  I 
should  try,  one  of  them  softly  opened,  and 
a  man  stood  upon  the  threshold.  He 
was  of  middle  age,  and  though  tall  and 
erect  had  the  air  of  the  scholar  rather  than 
that  of  the  soldier.  There  was  a  singular 
winningness  in  his  whole  face,  despite  the 
deep  lines  of  sadness  and  restlessness  about 
his  eyes.  I  felt  drawn  toward  him  in  a 
way  which  I  could  not  understand. 

That  my  host  and  rescuer  —  for  such  I 


At  Padua  165 

at  once  conceived  him  to  be  —  was  sur- 
prised to  find  me  dressed  and  upon  my 
feet,  his  face  clearly  showed. 

"  A  wise  young  man,"  said  he,  with  a 
grave  smile,  "  after  receiving  such  a  blow 
as  you  got  last  night,  would  have  kept  his 
bed  at  least  till  noon." 

"  I  never  made  any  pretence  to  wis- 
dom," I  replied ;  "  but  of  gratitude,  Sig- 
nore,  my  heart  is  full." 

He  waved  his  hand  to  silence  my  ex- 
pression of  thanks. 

"  It  was  unfortunate,"  he  said,  "  that  I 
did  not  arrive  sooner  upon  the  scene.  I 
fancy  the  rascals  who  attacked  you  had 
already  relieved  you  of  whatever  valua- 
bles you  had  about  your  person,  and  had 
left  you  for  dead." 

"  They  are  quite  welcome  to  my  purse," 
I  answered,  "  for  I  have  more  gold  in  my 
doublet,  and  to  all  my  rings,  save  one 
which  was  my  mother's." 

"  Your  mother  is  not  living,  then  ?  " 
my  rescuer  said  softly.  "  You  will  par- 
don the  question,  I  hope,  if  I  ask  you 
who  your  mother  was,  and  if  you  are  said 


1 66  A  Man-at-Arms 

to  resemble  her  ?  Your  face  —  "  he  hesi- 
tated as  though  moved  by  some  strong 
emotion  —  "  your  face  is  so  wonderfully 
like  one  I  once  knew  —  and  loved." 

As  he  spoke  the  last  words  his  voice 
sank  almost  to  a  whisper,  while  his  eyes 
with  a  singular  eagerness  were  fixed  on 
mine.  I  had  a  feeling  that  much  hung 
upon  my  reply,  though  just  what  revela- 
tion it  might  lead  to,  curiously  perhaps, 
did  not  occur  to  me. 

"Yes,"  I  said,  "I  have  been  told  by 
my  father  that  I  have  my  mother's  looks. 
She  was  a  Paduan,  and  her  maiden  name 
was  Bianca  Gambacorta." 

"  I  might  have  known  it !  "  he  cried, 
"  I  might  have  known  it !  The  same 
curve  of  the  brows,  the  same  expression 
about  the  mouth,  the  same  nose  and  chin ; 
and  then  the  eyes  !  "  He  came  toward  me 
with  hands  outstretched. 

"  Luigi,"  he  said,  —  "I  remember  that 
we  heard  you  were  called  Luigi,  —  wel- 
come to  your  mother's  home  !  " 

How  strange  it  all  seemed  to  me  a  few 
hours  later,  and  yet  how  fortunate !  In- 


At  Padua  167 

deed,  I  blessed  the  thieves  who  had  way- 
laid and  robbed  me,  for  through  them  I 
had  found  my  cousin.  The  letter  which 
I  had  entrusted  to  the  care  of  his  steward 
had  never  reached  him,  having  been  lost 
in  transmission,  and  but  for  what  appeared 
the  intervention  of  fate  years  might  have 
elapsed  before  we  encountered  each  other. 
Now  Alberto  Gambacorta  seemed  like  an 
old  friend.  He  had  heard  the  story  of 
my  life  with  rapt  attention,  and  I  related 
everything  to  him  without  reserve.  More 
than  once  when  I  mentioned  my  father's 
name  a  cloud  passed  over  his  kindly  face, 
and  when  I  told  him  of  the  cause  of  my 
quitting  home  he  sprang  up  in  unmistak- 
able pain  and  agitation.  It  was  some  mo- 
ments before  he  regained  his  self-control, 
but  once  having  mastered  his  anger,  there 
was  no  recurrence  of  the  strong  passion 
that  had  moved  him. 

When  I  had  finished  speaking  he  sat 
for  a  long  time  in  thought,  his  eyes 
averted.  Finally  he  raised  his  head. 

"  There  are  but  two  of  us,  Luigi,"  he 
said.  "  Why  should  we  live  apart  ? 


1 68  A  Man-at-Arms 

Will  you  not,  after  a  little,  make  this 
house  your  home  ?  I  realize  that  there 
are  certain  reasons  for  your  returning  to 
Milan,  but  will  you  not  promise  me  that 
as  soon  as  may  be  you  will  come  back  to 
this  roof  for  an  abiding-place?  It  was 
here  that  your  mother  spent  her  early 
happy  days,  and  while  it  is  mine  now,  it 
is  the  same  as  yours,  for  yours  it  will  one 
day  be." 

"  The  promise  you  ask,"  I  answered, 
"  is  most  gladly  given.  I  have  told  you 
that  I  have  begun  to  distrust  the  Visconti, 
and  would  willingly  quit  his  service. 
This  already  seems  to  me  like  home. 
Even  now  I  would  remain  were  it  not 
for  —  "  here  I  hesitated. 

"  I  think  I  understand,"  my  cousin 
said.  "  You  would  make  report  to  your 
master,  and  give  to  him  duly  your  reasons 
for  quitting  his  employ  ;  you  would  have 
a  last  interview  with  your  father ;  and 
you  would  see  if  you  cannot  find  some 
trace  of  the  whereabouts  of  a  certain 
maiden.  Am  I  not  right  ?  " 

"In    the    main    you    are.      But    why 


At  Padua  169 

should  I  seek  my  father's  presence  if  I 
cannot  force  him  to  retract  his  base  impu- 
tations ?  " 

"  I  feel  that  you  will  be  able  to  do  this 
when  you  have  heard  the  story  of  my  life 
and  that  of  your  mother,  though  perchance 
then  you  will  wish  to  retract  your  promise 
to  return  to  Padua." 

With  these  words  my  cousin  left  me  to 
rest  (for  my  head  had  times  of  throbbing 
painfully)  and  to  meditate  upon  his  part- 
ing speech,  together  with  the  strange  chance 
which  had  brought  me  under  the  roof 
where  my  mother  had  spent  her  maiden- 
hood. It  was  not  until  we  sat  at  dinner 
over  a  confection  of  prunes  and  the  last  of 
a  flask  of  lacrima  Christi  that  he  turned 
back  for  me  the  leaves  of  the  book  of  the 
past.  I  saw  by  his  manner  that  it  was  an 
ordeal  to  him,  —  this  laying  bare  of  a  life 
full  of  painful  memories,  —  and  from  first 
to  last  I  did  not  once  break  in  upon  his 
narrative. 

"  You  have  doubtless  heard,  Luigi,"  he 
began,  "  that  your  mother  was  reared  by 
an  uncle  and  aunt,  my  father  and  mother. 


i  jo  A  Man-at-Arms 

They  took  charge  of  her  almost  from 
infancy,  for  your  grandparents  were  carried 
off  by  the  plague  when  Bianca  was  but 
three.  I  was  five  years  of  age  when 
she  came  into  the  family,  and  we  grew  up 
together  like  brother  and  sister.  I  never 
thought  of  her,  or  looked  upon  her,  in 
other  than  a  brotherly  way  until  I  chanced 
one  day  to  overhear  some  words  spoken 
to  my  father.  '  Your  niece  has  grown  to 
be  the  very  flower  of  Paduan  maids,'  the 
speaker  said.  f  He  will  be  a  fortunate 
man  who  wears  such  a  flower  upon  his 
breast.'  From  that  hour  I  was  changed, 
nor  was  Bianca  slow  to  note  the  difference 
in  me,  and  to  divine  the  cause.  How 
many,  many  times  have  I  wished  in  these 
lonely  later  years  that  mine  had  been  a 
more  troubled  wooing  !  That  Bianca  and 
I  should  marry  was  the  desire  nearest  my 
father's  and  mother's  heart,  and  my  cousin 
confessed,  after  I  had  told  her  of  my  love, 
that  her  affection  for  me  had  long  ceased 
to  be  sisterly.  Thus  was  my  path  strewn 
with  roses,  not  an  obstacle,  not  a  hinder- 
ance,  thrown  in  my  way ;  everything 


At  Padua  171 

made  smooth  for   me,  so  that  I  did  not 
realize  the  inestimable  boon  I  had  won. 

"  Despite  the  fact  that  my  parents  so 
earnestly  desired  the  match,  they  insisted 
that  we  should  wait  a  year  before  we 
set  the  wedding  day.  Doubtless  they 
thought  this  provision  wise  and  just,  for 
we  were  both  young.  Could  they  have 
looked  into  the  future,  I  am  sure  they 
would  not  have  decreed  the  delay.  Be- 
fore six  months  had  gone  by,  chance  led 
me  into  evil  company  —  companionship 
which  I  should  have  shunned,  but  which 
I  courted  instead.  Your  mother's  influ- 
ence, my  parents'  entreaties,  neither  suf- 
ficed to  make  me  see  whither  my  course 
was  leading  me.  I  was  a  senseless  fool, 
blind  to  the  magnitude  of  my  folly.  At 
last  the  time  came  when  the  day  for  our 
wedding  was  to  be  set.  The  year  of  pro- 
bation had  passed.  Bianca  met  me  in  the 
presence  of  my  parents.  I  can  see  this 
moment  how  sad  she  looked,  and  yet  how 
resolute.  There  was  a  loving  appeal  in 
her  eyes  as  she  spoke;  for  strangely, 
through  all,  her  heart  remained  true  to 


172  A  Man-at-Arms 

me.  l  Alberto,'  she  said,  '  there  must  be 
another  year  of  waiting  if  you  would  claim 
me  for  your  wife,  and  '  —  her  voice  broke 
— '  and  you  must  go  away  for  a  time. 
Perhaps  when  you  come  back  you  will  be 
like  your  old  self  once  more.  Then,  oh, 
then  — '  but  her  sobs  choked  her,  and  I 
turned  from  her  to  my  father  and  mother 
in  amazement,  consternation,  and  shame. 
Of  this  —  contemptible  wretch  that  I  had 
been  !  —  I  never  dreamed. 

"  I  strove  to  protest,  but  despite  my 
protestations  and  promises  my  mother  led 
Bianca  from  the  room,  and  I  was  left  face 
to  face  with  my  father.  c  You  go,  sir,  on 
the  morrow,'  he  said  icily,  '  not  to  a  place 
where  you  will  be  free  from  temptations, 
but  where  they  will  be  multiplied  an  hun- 
dred fold  —  to  the  city  of  Constantinople, 
the  seat  of  the  most  corrupt  court  in 
Europe.  You  will  bear  letters  to  one 
whom  I  once  knew  well,  a  man  who  by 
birth  and  place  will  be  able  to  give  you  a 
chance  to  see  every  side  of  the  varied  life 
of  the  great  Eastern  metropolis.  If  you 
rise  from  the  slough  into  which  you  have 


At  Padua  173 

fallen,  and  prove  worthy  of  the  blood  that 
flows  in  your  veins,  all  will  be  well ;  but 
otherwise  you  need  never  hope  to  call 
wife  the  pure  girl  whose  heart  you  have 
so  cruelly  torn.' 

"  Thus  was  I  rudely  jarred  into  a  reali- 
zation that  I  had  undermined  my  house 
of  happiness.  I  put  aside  all  my  follies, 
and  when,  after  an  absence  of  eight 
months,  I  returned  to  Padua  I  had  noth- 
ing to  look  back  upon  with  regret  during 
the  period  of  my  foreign  sojourn,  despite 
the  fact  that  I  had  much  of  the  time  been 
thrown  with  the  gay  and  dissolute  youth 
of  a  decadent  empire.  But  I  found  that 
a  new  and  wholly  unforeseen  element  had 
been  introduced  into  my  home  life  during 
my  tarry  in  Constantinople.  This  was  in 
the  person  of  Giovanni  della  Verria,  your 
father,  who  had  come  to  listen  to  the 
lectures  of  a  noted  doctor  of  jurispru- 
dence, then  resident  at  the  University  of 
Padua.  The  Pavian  bore  with  him  letters 
to  my  father  and  mother,  and  had  grown 
to  be  a  frequent  and  welcome  visitor  at 
our  house.  He  had  attracted  Bianca  by 


174  A   Man-at-Arms 

his  distinguished  address  and  by  the  brill- 
iancy of  his  acquirements,  and  when  I 
arrived  I  found  the  two  upon  a  very 
friendly  footing,  which  I  was  not  slow 
to  discover  meant  something  more  than 
friendship  on  his  part.  With  Bianca's 
greeting  and  manner  toward  me  for  some 
weeks  after  my  home-coming  I  could  find 
no  fault ;  and  though  your  father  was  a 
frequent  guest,  I  felt  so  secure  in  my 
cousin's  affection  that  his  noticeable 
admiration  for  her  aroused  in  me  no 
jealousy. 

"  A  month  before  the  time  when  our 
wedding  day  was  finally  to  be  set,  it  came 
into  your  mother's  mind,  so  I  afterward 
learned,  that  she  would  submit  me  to  a 
final  test.  I  cannot  wonder,  when  I  con- 
sider my  shortcomings,  and  yet  I  know 
she  afterward  lamented  her  action  with 
many  bitter  tears.  It  was  wholly  unfair 
to  your  father,  it  was  unjust  to  me,  it  was 
beneath  her  true  and  womanly  nature. 
Had  she  paused  to  consider,  I  am  sure 
her  sober  second  thought  would  have 
counselled  her  against  playing  with  the 


At  Padua  175 

affections,    even    allowing  that    her    main 
purpose  was  in  a  sense  worthy. 

"  When  I  saw  Bianca  show  Giovanni 
della  Verria  marked  favors  I  could  not 
at  first  believe  my  senses.  *  She  is  only 
trying  me,'  I  said  to  myself,  when  I  re- 
covered from  my  first  surprise,  which  was 
the  truth.  '  He  knows  of  our  betrothal,' 
I  thought,  '  and  if  he  wishes  to  play  the 
moth  and  singe  his  wings  at  the  candle,  it 
is  no  affair  of  mine.'  No  harm  would 
have  resulted  had  I  followed  out  my  reso- 
lution to  hold  my  peace,  but  in  an  un- 
toward hour  I  ventured  to  ask  my  cousin  if 
she  had  not  acted  her  comedy  long  enough. 
Provoked  that  I  should  see  through  her 
motives,  she  pretended  not  to  understand 
me,  and  I,  suddenly  conceiving  that  I 
might  after  all  be  mistaken,  spoke  a  few 
hasty  words  of  reproach,  whereupon  she 
flashed  out  upon  me,  '  What  are  you,  sir, 
that  you  dare  to  reproach  me  ? '  —  this 
with  a  fine  scorn  of  which  I  did  not  dream 
her  capable.  Now  although  there  was 
much  justice  in  her  retort,  there  had  been 
a  sort  of  understanding  between  us  that 


176  A  Man-at-Arms 

there  was  to  be  no  reference  to  things  by- 
gone, so  I  was  deeply  hurt.  I  replied 
hotly,  just  what  I  never  could  recall,  nor 
do  I  know  what  she  said,  save  that  there 
was  some  reference  to  the  necessity  of  my 
taking  another  journey.  It  was  with  this 
in  mind  that  I  rushed  from  her  presence, 
and  before  the  sun  set  that  night  I  was  on 
my  way  to  Germany. 

"  I  will  not  trouble  you  with  my  reflec- 
tions, nor  will  I  dwell  upon  her  regrets 
when  she  found  she  had  actually  driven 
me  away.  Messengers  were  despatched 
to  recall  me,  but  their  search  for  me  was 
vain.  I  had  met  with  a  severe  accident 
in  one  of  the  mountain  passes,  and  lay  for 
weeks  in  a  peasant's  hut  unable  to  move, 
caring  little  whether  I  was  living  or  dead. 
Somehow  a  rumor  reached  Padua  that  I 
had  indeed  been  killed,  and  as  months 
passed  and  nothing  was  heard  from  me, 
the  report  was  accepted  as  truth. 

"  A  year  slipped  away  before  I  set  my 
face  toward  home.  Chance  led  me  to  the 
chief  city  of  a  small  German  principality 
to  whose  master  I  was  able  to  be  of  some 


At  Padua  177 

little  use  with  my  sword.  That  in  Padua 
I  should  be  considered  dead  did  not  occur 
to  me,  and  I  still  thought  of  Bianca  with 
alternate  hope  and  fear.  But  return  I 
would  not  until  I  could  feel  that  I  was  in 
every  respect  the  master  of  myself. 

"  Alas,  the  cruel  shock  of  my  home- 
coming !  I  found  my  father  and  mother 
broken  with  grief  at  my  supposed  end,  and 
my  cousin,  she  of  whom  I  had  dreamed  of 
one  day  making  myself  worthy,  two 
months  married  to  Giovanni  della  Verria. 
She  had  vehemently  resented  the  idea  at 
first  in  her  grief  over  my  death,  of  which 
she  accused  herself  of  being  the  cause,  but 
being  assiduously  importuned  by  your 
father,  and  urged  by  my  parents,  who, 
now  that  they  thought  me  no  longer  living, 
were  anxious  about  her  future,  she  finally 
consented. 

"  There  was  naught  for  me  to  do  but 
to  face  the  inevitable,  but  the  struggle 
cost  me  many  a  sleepless  night,  many  a 
day  of  mental  misery.  Then  a  letter 
which  was  not  meant  for  my  eyes  fell 
into  my  hands,  and  I  knew  that  Bianca 


178  A   Man-at-Arms 

was  not  happy  in  her  new  life.  My 
fancied  mastery  over  myself  was  gone. 
Madman  that  I  was,  I  resolved  to  see  her. 
At  my  own  request  she  had  not  yet  been 
told  of  my  return  as  it  were  from  the 
dead,  and  I  did  not  pause  to  think  what 
effect  my  unexpected  appearance  might 
have  upon  her.  Concealing  my  intention 
from  my  parents,  I  set  out  for  Pavia.  Ar- 
riving there,  I  made  such  changes  in  my 
appearance  as  would  prevent  Giovanni 
della  Verria  from  recognizing  me  should 
I  meet  him  upon  the  street,  and  then 
started  forth  to  find  his  residence.  This 
was  not  difficult,  but  to  gain  an  interview 
alone  with  Bianca  was  quite  another  mat- 
ter. I  watched  the  entrance  for  the 
greater  part  of  a  day  without  avail  until 
the  fact  that  I  was  being  regarded  curi- 
ously by  passers-by  bade  me  be  cautious. 
Never  once  did  I  take  into  account  that 
I  could  do  nothing  for  Bianca,  that  my 
presence  might  not  only  prove  an  em- 
barrassment but  might  actually  add  to  her 
unhappiness.  No,  I  was  so  consumed 
with  the  idea  that  I  must  see  her  again, 


At  Padua  179 

that  I  must  somehow  comfort  her,  that  I 
did  not  consider  the  possible  consequences 
of  making  my  presence  known. 

"  Late  in  the  day  I  saw  your  father 
emerge  from  the  house,  and  not  long 
afterward  a  girl  came  forth  whom  I  fan- 
cied must  be  Bianca's  maid.  I  followed 
her,  and  when  she  had  gone  a  little  dis- 
tance, stopped  her  and  inquired  if  she 
served  the  Signora  della  Verria.  Receiv- 
ing an  affirmative  reply,  I  drew  a  ring 
from  my  finger  which  my  cousin  had  once 
given  me,  and  bade  the  girl,  as  soon  as 
opportunity  offered,  put  it  into  her  mis- 
tress' hand,  and  say  to  her  that  the  wearer 
of  the  ring  sought  an  interview  with  her. 
The  maid  seemed  much  frightened  at 
first,  but  finally  consented  to  do  as  I 
wished.  It  was  agreed  that  I  should 
await  her  near  a  certain  street  corner  at 
the  same  hour  on  the  following  day. 
'  My  master  always  goes  forth  to  the 
promenade  at  this  time,'  she  said. 

"  The  girl  was  prompt  to  keep  her 
appointment.  Before  she  could  speak  I 
questioned  her  eagerly.  '  What  said  your 


i8o  A  Man-at-Arms 

mistress  ? '  I  asked.  '  Ah,  Signore,'  she 
replied,  '  I  thought  the  dear  lady  had 
fallen  into  a  swoon,  she  gave  such  a  cry, 
and  dropped  back  so  faint,  when  I  put 
the  ring  into  her  hand.  She  has  not 
been  herself  since.'  '  But  when  am  I  to 
see  her  ? '  I  cried.  f  Now,'  said  the  maid, 
looking  about  her  apprehensively,  as 
though  she  feared  some  one,  c  at  once ; 
you  are  to  come  with  me.  The  time 
may  be  short.' 

"  My  head  was  in  a  whirl  as  I  followed 
her,  scarcely  looking  whither  she  led.  I 
had  my  wits  sufficiently  about  me,  how- 
ever, to  note  that  it  was  not  the  main 
entrance  by  which  we  gained  access  to  the 
house.  Swiftly  and  silently  we  threaded 
several  passages,  ascended  a  flight  of 
stairs,  and  then  I  found  myself  in  a 
small  room  where  I  recognized  the  touch 
of  Bianca's  hands.  The  maid  left  me 
hurriedly,  and  an  instant  later  your 
mother  entered.  Ah,  Luigi,  the  emo- 
tions I  read  upon  her  beautiful  face  !  — 
love,  joy,  sorrow,  fear,  and  a  certain  some- 
thing I  had  not  seen  before,  and  could 


At  Padua  181 

not  at  the  moment  fathom.  When  I  saw 
her,  for  the  first  time  I  realized  the  un- 
wisdom of  my  course.  I  knew  in  a  flash 
that  it  was  only  an  added  weight  of  regret 
and  unhappiness  that  my  coming  was 
likely  to  bring  to  her.  All  she  could 
say  was  to  reiterate  my  name,  a  sound 
that  floats  down  through  the  years  to  me 
sweeter  than  any  mortal  music.  While  I 
was  soothing  her,  and  kissing  her  fondly, 
she  suddenly  started  back  from  me,  as 
though  she  had  dreamed  and  was  awaking 
to  a  painful  reality. 

"  *  You  must  go,  Alberto,'  she  said 
earnestly,  but  sadly,  'and  go  at  once.  I 
ought  never  to  have  consented  to  see  you 
at  all,  but  oh,  I  could  not  refuse  when  it 
seemed  to  me  as  though  you  had  risen 
from  the  grave.  Some  time  in  our  old 
home  we  may  meet  again,  but  not  here. 
No  good  could  come  of  it.  My  husband 
is  so  jealous,  so  suspicious,  though  why, 
God  knows.  I  suppose  it  is  my  punish- 
ment for  striving  to  arouse  jealousy  in 
you.' 

"  1    cried   out   against   her  entertaining 


1 82  A  Man-at-Arms 

such  a  feeling,  but  she  made  no  reply 
save  to  urge  me  to  leave  her.  Seeing 
that  I  still  hesitated,  she  exclaimed : 
'  Heaven  knows  what  would  happen 
should  he  find  you  here !  Go  for  my 
sake,  Alberto,  and  that  of  my  child ! ' 
Scarcely  had  this  wholly  unexpected  and 
touching  appeal  fallen  from  her  lips  when 
the  maid  rushed  in.  '  The  Signore  ! '  she 
cried  in  terror.  There  was  no  time  for 
concealment,  for  in  another  instant  Gio- 
vanni della  Verria  stood  in  the  doorway. 
The  maid  had  been  watching  for  his 
return  by  the  front  entrance,  and  had 
heard  his  steps  from  the  opposite  ap- 
proach when  too  late  to  give  any  warning 
save  the  cry  which  announced  his  pres- 
ence. Pausing  upon  the  threshold,  he 
looked  darkly  from  Bianca  to  me,  whom 
he  did  not  recognize. 

" '  So,  Signora,'  he  said,  ( I  see  that 
you  have  a  lover.  With  him  I  will  reckon 
first,  and  then,  my  lady,  I  will  return  and 
reckon  with  you.'  He  drew  his  sword 
and  waved  to  me  to  follow  him.  '  Signer 
della  Verria/  I  cried,  thinking  to  make 


At  Padua  183 

some  sort  of  an  explanation,  but  he  gave  no 
heed  to  me.  I  cast  a  last  glance  at  Bianca, 
who  was  gazing  stonily  at  the  door  through 
which  her  husband  had  disappeared,  then 
I  strode  after  him.  In  the  large  reception- 
room  below  he  turned  and  faced  me. 
Now  he  saw  who  I  was,  and  grew  only  the 
more  enraged.  He  would  listen  to  no 
word,  and  I  speedily  realized  that  if  I  val- 
ued my  life  I  must  defend  myself.  He 
closed  and  fastened  the  doors,  and  soon 
the  room  rang  with  the  clash  of  our  weap- 
ons. 

"  However  your  father  may  have 
changed  in  later  years,  he  then  knew 
well  the  use  of  the  sword,  but  his  rage 
was  his  undoing.  Before  five  minutes 
had  passed  I  had  run  him  through  the 
shoulder  and  disarmed  him.  c  Hark  you,' 
I  said  to  him  as  he  stood  biting  his  lip  in 
impotent  anger  and  pain,  '  your  wife  is  as 
innocent  of  the  foul  slander  you  put  upon 
her  as  the  veriest  babe  in  arms.'  *  I  do 
not  believe  it,'  he  muttered.  *  It  is  true,' 
I  cried,  'on  my  oath.'  Still  I  saw  that  he 
did  not  believe  me.  '  It  came  to  my 


184  A  Man-at-Arms 

knowledge,'  I  said,  'that  she  was  unhappy, 
and  in  the  memory  of  my  old  love  for  her 
I  foolishly  hastened  here,  and  as  foolishly 
contrived  to  gain  her  presence.  What 
blame  there  is,  is  mine.  Now  before  I  go 
out  from  your  sight,  I  trust  forever,  you 
shall  swear  in  Jesus'  name  and  that  of  the 
holy  Virgin  that  no  harm  shall  come  to 
my  cousin  through  your  hand  or  your 
agency.  Down  on  your  knees.'  My 
sword  point  was  at  his  throat,  and  he  read 
death  in  my  eyes  if  he  refused.  Slowly 
he  went  down  upon  the  floor,  repeated  the 
oath,  and  made  the  sign  of  the  cross  as  I 
bade.  There  was  all  the  hate  of  hell  in 
the  look  he  gave  me  when  he  had  uttered 
the  words.  'If  you  break  your  oath,'  I 
exclaimed,  as  I  turned  to  leave  him,  c  may 
your  soul  rot  in  torment ! '  As  I  passed 
out  of  the  room  he  fell  over  in  a  dead 
faint.  '  Your  master  needs  your  attention 
in  the  reception-hall,'  I  said  to  a  servant  I 
met  in  the  courtyard.  Then  I  hastened 
out  into  the  street,  and  in  half  an  hour 
had  turned  my  back  on  Pavia. 

"  You    may  blame   me,    Luigi,   if  you 


At  Padua  185 

will,  but  you  cannot  condemn  me  more 
severely  than  I  have  condemned  myself 
through  all  these  years.  Since  my  father's 
and  my  mother's  death,  which  followed 
soon  upon  that  of  your  mother,  I  have 
been  a  wanderer  on  the  face  of  the  earth, 
driven  up  and  down  the  world  by  my 
regretful  memories,  almost  my  only  com- 
fort being  the  knowledge  that  after  your 
birth  your  mother's  life  became  more 
bearable,  for  whatever  your  father  may 
have  felt  in  his  heart,  he  kept  his  oath. 
Never  until  to-day  has  it  seemed  to  me 
that  I  could  tarry  long  in  one  spot,  but 
now  that  you  have  heard  my  story,  if 
you  still  feel  that  you  can  return  to  Padua 
and  to  a  life  beneath  this  roof,  it  will  be  a 
joy  to  me  to  abide  here  and  do  what  I 
can  to  make  you  contented  and  happy, 
and  should  you  by  any  chance  bring 
another,  she  shall  be  more  than  welcome 
for  your  mother's  sake." 

He  regarded  me  with  unmistakable 
anxiety  as  he  finished,  as  though  he  feared 
I  would  turn  my  back  upon  him  for  the 
suffering  and  sorrow  he  had  brought  into 


1 86  A  Man-at-Arms 

my  mother's  life,  but  it  was  with  no  sense 
of  resentment  that  I  had  listened  to  the 
recital  of  the  history  of  his  past,  but  rather 
one  of  pity  ;  for  looking  into  the  face  of 
the  man,  I  could  but  see  the  mirror  of  a 
true  and  noble  heart,  that  had  long  and 
fondly  cherished  the  deepest  love  for  her  for 
whom  he  had  so  grieved,  and  upon  whom 
he  had  brought  such  trouble.  All  the  love 
and  hate,  the  passion  and  the  pain,  of  the 
bygone  years  had  tempered  my  cousin's 
soul  as  doth  the  white  fire  the  steel ;  for 
when  I  had  unhesitatingly  renewed  my 
promise  to  him,  he  spoke  in  extenuating 
terms  of  my  father's  conduct,  praising  his 
remarkable  parts,  saying  that  all  mankind 
had  their  failings,  pointing  out  how  griev- 
ous a  misfortune  it  is  to  be  the  possessor 
of  an  ungovernably  suspicious  and  jealous 
temperament. 

When  I  parted  from  Alberto  Gamba- 
corta,  and  mounted  Hawkwood  in  the 
fresh  air  of  the  early  spring  morning,  it 
was  with  a  happier  heart  than  had  beat  in 
my  breast  for  many  a  long  day.  I  had 
found  a  real  home,  and  one  whom  I  could 


At  Padua  187 

love ;  the  old  bitterness  against  my  father 
had  in  a  measure  died  from  my  thoughts ; 
and  the  image  of  Angela  Canaro  rose 
before  me  with  beguiling  and  beckoning 
eyes. 


Chapter    XIII 
The  Affair  of  the  Via  San   Lorenzo 

ON  the  last  day  of  my  return  journey 
to  Milan,  Hawkwood  fell  so  lame 
that  it  was  hard  upon  dusk  ere  I  rode 
through  the  gates  of  the  city.  My  first 
care  was  to  see  my  steed  properly  attended 
to ;  this  done,  I  repaired  to  the  lodgings 
I  had  recently  taken,  with  my  master's 
permission,  in  a  small  street  leading  from 
the  piazza  where  the  palace  stood.  I  had 
for  some  time  been  eager  to  transfer  my 
belongings  from  my  contracted  quarters  in 
the  palace,  but  had  only  lately  effected  my 
desire. 

While  the  good  housewife  who  presided 
over  my  new  abode  was  filling  my  ears 
with  the  public  gossip,  I  fell  to  wondering 
whether  I  had  best  report  to  my  master 

188 


The  Affair  of  the  Via  San  Lorenzo    189 

that  night  or  wait  until  the  morrow.  That 
he  would  be  surprised  at  my  determination 
to  quit  his  service  I  felt  sure,  and  I  had 
no  notion  how  he  would  take  it.  Finally 
I  came  to  the  conclusion  that  I  should 
sleep  better  if  I  had  the  whole  matter  off 
my  mind ;  accordingly,  when  I  had  changed 
my  soiled  riding-garb,  I  took  a  hasty 
dinner,  and  sallied  forth  in  the  direction  of 
the  palace.  There  was  still  a  faint  trace  of 
the  golden  afterglow  in  the  sky  when  I 
reached  the  piazza,  and  the  place  was  gay 
with  strolling  pleasurers,  fair  ladies,  some 
of  whom  were  not  at  all  anxious  to  conceal 
their  faces  behind  their  masks,  ogling  gal- 
lants who  ruffled  it  as  gamely  as  a  company 
of  cocks  with  fine  feathers,  a  plentiful 
sprinkling  of  sedate  merchants  with  their 
wives,  together  with  soldiers,  and  rogues 
of  both  sexes. 

I  picked  my  way  leisurely  through  the 
chattering  throng  until  presently  I  drew 
near  the  palace  gateway.  As  I  approached, 
two  of  the  city's  fashionable  young  bloods 
brushed  past  me,  evidently  bent  upon  fol- 
lowing out  some  light  affair  of  the  heart. 


190  A   Man-at-Arms 

One  of  them  dropped  his  mask  as  he 
hurried  by,  and  such  was  his  haste  that  he 
did  not  stop  to  pick  it  from  the  pavement. 
I  gazed  at  the  bit  of  black  folly  with  its 
staring  eye-holes,  and  then,  moved  by  I 
know  not  what  impulse,  stooped  and  lifted 
it.  Even  as  I  looked,  its  owner  was  lost 
to  view  in  the  crowd,  and  with  the  mask 
in  my  hand  I  resumed  my  way.  Scarcely 
had  I  taken  half  a  dozen  steps,  however, 
before  I  saw  a  man  issue  from  the  palace 
courtyard  who  staggered  like  one  in  a 
drunken  fit.  Amazement  halted  me,  and 
held  me  riveted  in  my  tracks,  for  the  man 
was  Vincenzo  Canaro. 

As  he  came  on,  I  realized  that  his  eyes 
were  fixed  and  that  he  observed  nothing. 
His  face  was  not  that  of  a  man  overcome 
by  the  fumes  of  wine,  but  rather  that  of 
one  whose  brain  was  undergoing  some 
tense  strain.  Despair  was  written  upon 
every  feature,  and  a  great  compassion  for 
him  seized  me.  My  first  impulse  was  to 
rush  forward  and  speak  to  him,  but  it  sud- 
denly came  to  me  that  in  all  probability  he 
would  not  recognize  me,  and  that  in  his 


The  Affair  of  the  Via  San  Lorenzo    191 

present  state  I  should  doubtless  be  rudely 
repulsed.  As  he  passed  me,  he  appeared 
to  recover  himself  a  little  and  glanced 
about  as  though  to  assure  himself  of  his 
whereabouts.  His  eyes  fell  upon  me,  but 
there  was  no  gleam  of  recognition  in  them. 

My  resolve  was  now  swiftly  taken.  I 
would  follow  him,  discover  his  abode,  and 
on  the  morrow  make  myself  known.  It 
might  be  that  in  some  way  I  could  be 
of  service ;  for  that  Signor  Canaro  was 
in  deep  trouble  I  felt  confident,  and  I 
shrewdly  suspected  that  his  trouble  ema- 
nated from  my  master.  That  my  wish  to 
discover  the  abode  of  the  Brescian  noble 
was  solely  because  of  my  desire  to  offer 
him  my  aid  I  will  not  assert.  In  this 
matter  I  did  not  deceive  myself.  But  the 
fact  that  I  had  another  end  in  view  did 
not  lessen  the  sincerity  of  my  intention  to 
be  of  assistance  to  him. 

Slipping  on  the  mask,  the  possession 
of  which  now  struck  me  as  being  a  rare 
bit  of  good  fortune,  and  drawing  about 
me  my  cloak,  which  I  had  thrown  over 
my  arm,  I  hugged  the  wall,  following  a 


192  A  Man-at-Arms 

score  of  paces  in  the  rear  of  the  dejected 
man.  He  looked  neither  to  the  right  nor 
to  the  left,  and  as  far  as  his  observing  me 
was  concerned,  I  might  have  hung  close 
upon  his  heels  and  he  never  have  been 
the  wiser.  At  first  I  encountered  a 
goodly  number  of  people  moving  in  the 
direction  of  the  piazza,  but  presently, 
drawing  away  from  the  centre  of  the  city, 
there  was  but  little  life  in  the  streets,  and 
it  was  only  at  corners,  or  before  wine- 
shops, that  I  met  more  than  a  solitary 
loiterer.  Apparently  no  one  gave  heed 
to  me,  but  if  any  one  did  bestow  a 
thought  upon  me,  it  was  doubtless  to 
surmise  that  I  was  an  enamoured  gallant, 
speeding  to  keep  an  evening  tryst. 

At  length  I  found  myself  in  the  Via 
San  Lorenzo.  Although  not  especially 
familiar  with  the  quarter  of  the  city  into 
which  Signor  Canaro  was  leading  me,  I 
recognized  this  street  from  the  proximity 
of  the  church  of  the  same  name  whose 
dome  loomed  large  through  the  fast- 
thickening  dusk.  Quickening  my  pace 
a  trifle,  lest  the  object  of  my  quest  should 


The  Affair  of  the   Via  San  Lorenzo    193 

disappear  in  some  cross-thoroughfare  and 
leave  me  in  doubt  as  to  which  house  he 
had  entered,  I  was  but  a  short  distance 
behind  him  when  he  reached  the  first  of 
the  sixteen  Corinthian  columns  that  re- 
main to  tell  of  the  stateliness  of  the 
baths  with  which  the  Emperor  Maximian 
adorned  Roman  Mediolanum.  Not  even 
one  lone  loiterer  was  in  view.  High  in 
the  window  of  an  adjacent  dwelling  a 
single,  feeble  taper  flared,  the  only  sign 
of  life.  The  spot  was  singularly  solitary 
considering  the  hour. 

As  Signer  Canaro  reached  a  point 
abreast  of  the  last  column  I  was  stealing 
toward  the  first,  intending  to  pass  in  the 
rear  of  the  colonnade,  when  three  men 
leaped  noiselessly  from  their  concealment 
behind  the  pillars  and  flung  themselves 
upon  the  unsuspecting  Brescian,  bearing 
him  to  the  earth.  The  poor  man  gave 
a  loud  cry  as  he  fell,  and  that  cry  spurred 
me  to  instant  action.  Whipping  out  my 
sword,  I  dashed  upon  his  assailants, 
running  one  of  them  through  the  groin, 
as  he  rose  to  meet  me,  and  thrusting 


194  A   Man-at-Arms 


violently  at  the  second,  who  strove  to 
entangle  me  in  his  cloak.  By  this  time 
the  third  had  his  weapon  out,  and  I 
was  horrified  to  see  him,  as  Signor  Canaro 
strove  to  regain  his  feet,  lunge  viciously 
at  the  unfortunate  man,  who  staggered 
and  sank  back.  Thinking  him  disposed 
of,  the  swordsman  sprang  at  me.  Like 
myself  he  was  masked,  and  so  fierce  and 
furious  was  his  sword-play,  that  in  the 
dim  light  I  was  hard  put  to  it  to  save 
my  skin  from  a  pinking.  While  the 
caitiff  with  the  cloak  was  assisting  his 
wounded  companion,  the  man  in  the 
mask  and  I  hacked  and  hewed  at  one 
another  till  the  sparks  danced  about  us 
like  swamp-fires,  and  the  street  echoed 
with  our  violent  cuts  and  parries.  It 
was  haphazard  fencing,  sheer  guess-work 
oftentimes,  but  each  seemed  to  know 
instinctively  what  the  other  would  at- 
tempt, and  so  we  slashed,  while  lights 
grew  in  the  few  windows  that  looked 
upon  this  portion  of  the  thoroughfare, 
and  cries  of  "  murder  "  and  shouts  for  the 
watchman  swelled  about  our  ears. 


The  Affair  of  the  Via  San  Lorenzo    195 

I  wondered  at  the  persistence  of  my 
opponent,  now  that  the  neighborhood  was 
so  aroused  ;  in  fact,  I  could  not  understand 
why  he  assaulted  me  at  all,  his  end  being 
apparently  achieved  in  the  blow  he  struck 
Signer  Canaro,  who  had  not  moved  since 
he  received  the  stroke.  The  dress  of  my 
antagonist  gave  me  no  clew  to  his  identity, 
but  there  was  something  about  his  move- 
ments that  struck  me  as  familiar,  though  I 
could  by  no  means  say  where  I  had  met 
him  at  fence  before.  Now  there  came  the 
sound  of  nearing  footsteps,  and  making  a 
final  desperate  lunge  which  caused  me  to 
fall  back  a  step,  he  caught  up  my  cloak, 
which  had  fallen  upon  the  ground  between 
us,  and  disappeared  in  a  black  alley  whither 
I  knew  it  was  futile  to  follow  him.  His 
companions  had  made  good  their  escape 
during  our  encounter,  and  so  when  those 
whose  footfalls  I  had  heard  arrived,  they 
found  me  bending  over  the  body  of  the 
prostrate  nobleman,  endeavoring  to  dis- 
cover if  there  were  still  any  signs  of  life 
left  in  him.  Life  there  was,  though  his 
breast  was  soaked  with  blood,  and  when 


196  A  Man-at-Arms 

the  light  of  a  lantern  was  flashed  into  his 
eyes  he  opened  them  with  a  dazed  and 
painful  look. 

"  Whither  shall  we  bear  you,  Signore  ?  " 
said  I. 

And  he  had  just  strength  enough  to  tell 
me,  lapsing  again,  immediately  afterward, 
into  unconsciousness. 

My  guardsman's  uniform  gave  me 
authority  among  those  who  had  gathered 
about  us, — worthy  citizens  of  the  upper 
class  they  were,  all  of  them  ;  so  bidding 
one  go  in  search  of  a  reputable  leech,  with 
the  assistance  of  the  others  I  bore  Signer 
Canaro  toward  the  house  he  had  indicated, 
which  was  situated  in  the  street  just  beyond 
the  church  of  San  Lorenzo. 

We  found  the  portal  of  the  dwelling 
ajar,  and  from  it  two  women  were  peering 
into  the  night.  As  we  halted,  one  of  them, 
whom  I  recognized  with  a  quickened  beat 
of  the  heart,  sprang  from  the  doorway  and 
darted  in  among  us.  More  lovely  than 
ever  she  seemed  to  me,  in  her  simple  gown 
and  loosely  bound  hair,  about  which  the 
flickering  light  played  like  a  halo. 


Bidding  one  go  in  search  of  a  reputable  leech."  —  Page  196 


The  Affair  of  the  Via  San  Lorenzo    197 

She  gazed  into  her  father's  face,  which 
wore  the  pallor  of  apparent  death,  gave  a 
low  moan,  and  would  have  fallen  had  a 
kindly  hand  not  lent  her  support. 

"  Courage,  Signorina,"  said  he  who  had 
assisted  her;  "  there  is  hope.  He  has  but 
fainted.  A  leech  will  be  here  presently, 
and  in  the  meantime  do  you  show  us 
where  we  may  lay  him." 

These  words  restored  her  to  herself  in 
a  measure,  and  calling  to  her  woman,  who 
was  still  standing  helplessly  in  the  doorway, 
she  bade  her  lead  the  way.  After  we  had 
laid  Signor  Canaro  upon  a  couch  and  forced 
a  few  drops  of  wine  down  his  throat,  the 
color  began  to  creep  back  into  his  cheeks, 
and  presently  he  opened  his  eyes.  When 
he  saw  his  daughter  bending  over  him,  he 
smiled,  and  a  look  of  contentment  spread 
over  his  features,  but  he  did  not  try  to  speak. 
All  save  two  of  us  now  retired  from  the 
apartment.  I  should  have  slipped  away, 
but  it  seemed  desirable  that  some  one 
should  remain  to  be  of  use  should  the 
surgeon  require  assistance;  and  inasmuch 
as  I  had  been  the  only  witness  to  the 


198  A  Man-at-Arms 

assault  upon  Signor  Canaro,  it  was  insisted 
that  I  should  be  one  of  those  to  stay. 

An  aged  man-servant  now  slipped  in 
and  stood  by  one  side  of  the  bed,  while 
on  the  other  side  knelt  the  daughter  of 
the  wounded  man.  A  striking  picture  it 
was,  and  one  that  moved  me  strongly  to 
compassion.  The  hangings  of  the  bed 
threw  heavy  shadows  over  the  form  out- 
stretched upon  it,  and  had  it  not  been  for 
the  sound  of  labored  breathing  one  would 
have  said  that  Death  was  present  in  the 
room.  Indeed,  his  presence  did  seem  to 
be  there.  It  was  as  though  in  pity  for 
the  stricken  maiden  he  was  delaying  a  little 
space  before  claiming  his  own. 

After  a  time  we  heard  the  door  open 
below,  there  were  steps  upon  the  stair,  and 
then  the  surgeon  entered.  He  was  a  man  of 
skill  and  worked  rapidly,  and  such  was  his 
personality  that  with  his  coming  the  gloom 
was  suddenly  dispelled,  the  tense  strain 
relaxed.  We  found  ourselves  of  little  aid, 
and  so  kept  in  the  background. 

"  There  is  no  danger,"  we  heard  him  say 
at  length  to  Signorina  Canaro.  "  Loss  of 


The  Affair  of  the  Via  San  Lorenzo    199 

blood  and  the  shock  have  caused  this 
prostration.  A  bone  turned  the  blade, 
and  saved  his  life,  Signorina." 

He  asked  no  questions,  and  I  believe 
up  to  this  point,  so  great  had  been  her 
anxiety,  the  thought  of  how  it  had  hap- 
pened had  not  entered  the  mind  of  Angela 
Canaro.  Now,  however,  that  her  fears 
were  relieved,  the  natural  wish  to  know 
how  her  father  had  received  his  wound 
became  uppermost,  and  for  the  first  time 
she  turned  to  us  with  expressions  of 
gratitude.  Indeed,  until  now  she 
had  given  no  heed  to  our  presence,  so 
great  had  been  her  solicitude  for  her 
father. 

"  I  trust  you  will  pardon  me,  gentle- 
men," she  said,  as  she  approached  us, 
"  for  not  expressing  my  gratitude  for  your 
kindness  before,  but  —  "  she  paused,  and 
cast  her  eyes  toward  the  bed,  while  a  sob 
rose  in  her  throat. 

"  Think  not  of  thanking  us,  Signorina," 
said  my  companion.  "  We  understand, 
and  now  that  we  are  no  longer  needed  we 
will  not  further  intrude  upon  you." 


2oo  A  Man-at-Arms 

He  passed  toward  the  doorway,  and  I 
was  about  to  follow  when  she  said,  — 

"  But  can  you  not  tell  me  how  my  father 
came  to  be  hurt?  " 

"  This  gentleman  knows  more  of  the 
matter  than  I,"  answered  the  man,  and 
continued  on  his  way  as  though  anxious 
to  be  gone. 

Signorina  Canaro  now  turned  toward 
me,  and  for  the  first  time,  I  think,  had  a 
fair  view  of  my  face,  for  she  gave  a  little 
start,  and  a  gleam  of  half  recognition 
flashed  in  her  dark  eyes. 

"  Have  I  not  seen  you  before  ?  "  she 
said.  "  Are  you  not  the  Signor  della 
Verria  ? " 

"Yes,  Signorina,"  said  I. 

Impulsively  she  grasped  my  hand,  and 
at  her  words  I  felt  a  new  energy,  a  sense 
of  power  I  had  not  known  before  thrill 
through  me. 

"  God  has  sent  you  to  us,  Signore,"  said 
she.  "  My  father  is  in  some  great  trouble 
which  he  will  not  confide  to  me,  and  is  in 
sore  want  of  a  friend.  I  have  never  for- 
gotten some  words  of  yours  spoken  at  our 


The  Affair  of  the  Via  San  Lorenzo    201 

home  in  Brescia  when  you  bade  us  adieu. 
You  offered  me  the  protection  of  your 
sword  should  the  time  ever  come  when  I 
needed  a  third  defender.  That  was  in  the 
presence  of  my  father  and  Signer  Ardotti, 
the  poor  brave  Signer  Ardotti  who  is  now 
dead,  as  mayhap  you  know.  It  is  not  for 
myself  that  I  would  now  ask  the  redemp- 
tion of  that  promise,  but  for  my  father, 
Signore." 

Ah,  the  sweet  pleading  earnestness  with 
which  she  said  these  words  !  What  man 
with  a  drop  of  ardor  in  his  veins  could 
have  withstood  them  ?  For  me,  who  had 
long  fostered  in  my  mind  the  fondest  and 
the  fairest  thoughts  of  her,  it  was  difficult 
not  to  reply  with  too  great  warmth.  Yet 
restrain  myself  as  I  would,  it  was  impos- 
sible for  me  to  repress  my  devotion  both 
in  tone  and  speech. 

"  Believe  me,  Signorina,"  I  exclaimed, 
"  that  offer  was  not  lightly  made,  and  for 
you  or  for  your  father  I  am  as  ready  to 
strike  now  as  I  was  then." 

The  look  of  relief  that  crossed  her  face 
as  I  spoke  did  not  escape  me,  and  thereat 


2O2  A  Man-at-Arms 

still  more  was  I  elated.  It  mattered 
little  to  me  at  that  moment  what  unknown 
dangers  I  might  be  called  upon  to  en- 
counter, what  subtle  and  hidden  foes  I 
might  be  forced  to  combat,  in  behalf  of 
Signor  Canaro  and  his  daughter.  I  felt 
equal  to  coping  with  and  overcoming 
them  all. 

At  Signorina  Canaro's  request  I  now 
related  to  her  how  her  father  came  by  his 
wound,  taking  care  not  to  state  that  I  had 
followed  him  from  the  piazza,  but  leaving 
her  to  infer  rather  that  I  had  been  a 
chance  witness  of  the  assault. 

"  How  much  are  we  already  indebted 
to  you  !  "  she  cried. 

The  leech  now  summoned  her,  wishing 
to  give  her  some  instructions  in  regard  to 
the  care  of  her  father,  and  assuring  her 
that  I  would  without  fail  call  in  the  morn- 
ing to  inquire  after  the  invalid  and  to  see 
if  I  could  not  be  of  some  service,  I  took 
my  leave,  translating  her  warm  expressions 
of  gratitude  into  something  sweeter  as  I 
passed  along  the  street. 

Through  the  open  door  of  the  church 


The  Affair  of  the  Via  San   Lorenzo    203 

of  San  Lorenzo  there  came  the  faint  glim- 
mer of  tapers,  and  while  I  confess  that  I 
commonly  have  more  faith  in  the  virtue 
of  a  strong  right  arm  than  in  the  inter- 
position of  the  saints,  I  slipped  into  the 
sacred  edifice,  and  made  a  supplication 
and  a  vow  before  the  holy  shrine  during 
the  course  of  which  the  name  Angela  was 
more  than  once  devoutly  whispered. 


Chapter  XIV 

I     have    Some     Last    Words    with    my 
Father 

I  PRESENTED  myself  in  good  time 
at  the  palace  the  next  morning,  only 
to  learn  that  my  master  was  indisposed 
and  would  probably  see  no  one  that  day. 
Reporting  to  the  captain  of  the  guard,  I 
requested  leave  of  absence  until  night. 
This  was  really  but  a  matter  of  form,  and 
my  wish  was  readily  granted ;  for,  as  I 
have  before  indicated,  I  was  only  nominally 
under  the  captain's  authority,  receiving 
nearly  all  my  orders  from  my  master 
himself. 

After  hearing  that  the  Visconti  would 
that  day  receive  no  one,  I  immediately 
decided  that  I  would  utilize  the  hours 
that  might  otherwise  hang  heavily,  by  mak- 
ing an  excursion  to  Pavia,  and  getting  off 
204 


Last  Words  with   my    Father      205 

my  mind  the  interview  with  my  father. 
Then,  at  the  first  opportunity,  I  would 
resign  my  position,  and  feel  free  to  devote 
myself  to  the  cause  of  Signor  and  Angela 
Canaro.  Something  told  me  that  as  a 
lieutenant  of  Gian  Galeazzo's  palace  guard 
I  was  scarcely  in  a  position  to  be  of  the 
most  efficient  service  to  the  unfortunate 
Brescian  and  his  daughter.  I  surmised 
that  Signor  Canaro  had  come  to  Milan 
at  the  suggestion,  if  not  at  the  command, 
of  my  master,  and  I  believed  that  the 
Visconti  was  in  some  way  responsible  for 
the  trouble  of  which  Angela  Canaro  had 
spoken  the  night  before.  Indeed,  I  had 
begun  to  think  that  the  cowardly  attack  in 
the  Via  San  Lorenzo  was  something  of  his 
instigation.  Six  months  earlier  it  would 
not  have  occurred  to  me  to  suspect  him 
of  such  baseness,  but  my  eyes  had  been 
gradually  opened  to  what  lay  behind  that 
calm,  calculating,  and  crafty  exterior. 

Granted  that  my  suspicions  were  true, 
how  could  I,  single-handed,  hope  to  ef- 
fect anything  against  his  shrewdness  and 
power  ?  Should  I  not,  if  it  became  known 


206  A  Man-at-Arms 

that  I  was  acting  the  meddler,  endanger 
my  own  safety  ?  In  the  enthusiasm  of 
youth  and  love  these  things  I  did  not 
pause  to  consider.  I  had  a  vision  of 
Angela  Canaro  safe  in  Padua  at  my 
cousin's  house  ( which  he  had  bidden  me 
regard  also  mine  ),  and  this  for  the  time 
being  was  enough  to  lift  me  above  earth. 
How  this  seemingly  miraculous  transfer 
was  to  be  brought  about  had,  just  then, 
no  place  in  my  thoughts.  Ah,  the  confi- 
dence that  the  magic  stirring  of  love  in- 
spires in  the  heart  of  youth !  Yet  who 
shall  say  that  many  wondrous  things  are 
not  wrought  thereby  ? 

Before  making  any  preparations  for  my 
Pavian  pilgrimage  I  hastened  to  the  abode 
of  the  wounded  Brescian,  and  was  rejoiced 
to  hear  that  he  had  wonderfully  recovered. 

"  He  insists  upon  seeing  you,"  said 
Signorina  Canaro,  anxiously  ;  "  for  I  told 
him  to  whom  he  was  indebted  for  his  res- 
cue, and  promised  I  would  bring  you  to 
him  when  you  came,  fearing  to  refuse 
would  excite  him  and  do  him  more  harm 
than  a  few  moments'  talk  with  you." 


Last  Words  with  my  Father     207 

When  I  entered  the  presence  of  Signer 
Canaro,  I  could  scarcely  believe  I  saw 
before  me  the  same  man  upon  whom  I 
had  looked  the  night  previous  and  won- 
dered if  he  had  an  hour's  hold  on  life. 
True,  there  was  something  feverish  in  the 
eagerness  with  which  he  greeted  me,  and 
I  feared  that  the  strength  he  seemed  to 
show  might  be  born  of  excitement,  but 
there  was  no  trace  of  unnatural  heat  in  the 
hand  which  he  placed  in  mine,  and  I  was 
forced  to  conclude  either  that  his  recuper- 
ative powers  were  remarkable,  or  that 
there  was  magic  in  the  leech's  art. 

After  he  had  expressed  his  gratitude  in 
feeling  terms  for  the  service  which  I  had 
rendered  him,  he  made  a  little  sign  to  his 
daughter,  who  at  once  withdrew.  As  I 
seated  myself  by  the  bedside  of  the 
wounded  man,  I  was  conscious  that  he 
was  concentrating  upon  me  his  most 
searching  gaze  as  though  he  would  pene- 
trate the  workings  of  my  mind  and  read 
my  thoughts. 

"  Signor  della  Verria,"  he  said  at  length, 
"  though  I  know  little  of  you,  I  believe 


208  A  Man-at-Arms 

you  to  be  a  man  of  honor.  My  daugh- 
ter has  told  me  of  your  offer  of  last  night, 
and  I  recall  your  chivalrous  words  spoken 
some  time  since  in  Brescia.  I  would  fain 
trust  in  you,  for  God  knows  I  need  some 
one  in  whom  to  trust,  but  there  is  one 
thing  that  makes  me  hesitate  to  do  so." 

He  paused  before  speaking  further,  let- 
ting his  eyes  rest  with  the  same  eager 
intentness  upon  my  face. 

"  Perhaps  if  I  knew  why  you  hesitate," 
said  I,  "  I  might  be  able  to  persuade  you 
that  you  do  so  without  reason." 

He  reflected  for  an  instant,  then  he 
spoke  with  sharp  decision. 

"  I  will  tell  you,"  he  said.  "  You  serve 
Gian  Galeazzo  Visconti,  and  if  you  serve 
him  honestly,  I  do  not  see  how  you  can 
aid  my  daughter  and  myself." 

"  That  fact  need  have  no  weight  with 
you,"  I  answered ;  "  for  it  is  my  intention, 
and  has  been  since  my  visit  to  Padua,  to 
resign  my  position  under  the  Visconti  at 
the  first  opportunity.  I  sought  him  this 
morning  for  that  purpose,  but  found  him 
indisposed." 


Last  Words  with  my  Father      209 

A  gleam  of  something  more  than 
satisfaction  passed  over  Signer  Canaro's 
face. 

"  Perhaps  you  are  beginning  to  under- 
stand the  character  of  the  master  whom 
you  serve,"  he  said. 

"  I  am,"  I  replied. 

"  I  have  not  the  strength  this  morning," 
he  said,  now  speaking  rapidly,  "  to  explain 
to  you  my  position,  but  I  am  in  danger 
of  losing  my  freedom  if  not  my  life,  and 
my  daughter's  safety  is  involved  in  mine. 
It  is  for  her  sake  that  I  am  consumed 
with  anxiety,  it  is  for  her  sake  that  I  am 
forced  to  beg  aid  from  you,  almost  a 
stranger,  for  in  this  whole  city  there  is  not 
one  man  whom  I  can  call  friend." 

"  You  would  leave  Milan  ? "  I  asked. 
"  Whither  would  you  go  ?  " 

"  Anywhere  !  anywhere  !  "  he  cried,  "  to 
escape  from  the  coils  of  that  viper,  Gian 
Galeazzo  Visconti. 

It  was  the  first  time  I  had  heard  the 
term  "viper"  applied  to  my  master,  and 
there  is  small  wonder  that  I  started  at  the 
sound  of  it. 


2io  A   Man-at-Arms 

"  His  arms  are  well  chosen,"  said  Sig- 
nor  Canaro,  noticing  my  involuntary 
movement. 

"  You  may  count  upon  my  aid,"  I 
said,  rising,  for  I  saw  that  he  was  becom- 
ing over-excited  and  fatigued. 

"  But  the  danger  to  yourself,  bethink 
you  of  that !  Should  our  attempt  be  cir- 
cumvented, and  your  present  master  dis- 
cover your  part  in  it,  you  might  be  in- 
volved in  our  ruin.  I  would  have  you 
count  the  possible  cost." 

"  I  am  willing  to  risk  it,  and  I  have  a 
friend  on  whose  advice  I  ca.n  depend,  if 
not  upon  his  assistance."  My  thought 
flew  to  Hartzheim  as  I  said  this. 

"  Then  we  must  haste,  else  it  will  be  too 
late." 

"  I  will  come  again  this  evening,"  I 
said.  "  It  will  not  do  for  us  to  talk  fur- 
ther now." 

As  I  was  seeking  the  street  I  encoun- 
tered the  Signorina.  Her  eyes  were  full 
of  anxiety,  and  I  stopped  to  give  her  a 
reassuring  word.  The  smile  which  I  had 
in  return  made  bright  my  journey  to 


Last  Words  with  my   Father      211 

Pavia,  which  I  took  beneath  a  lowering 
sky. 

Hawkwood  was  still  a  trifle  lame,  but 
I  had  no  difficulty  in  obtaining  a  mount, 
and  as  the  new  bell  in  Santa  Maria  del 
Carmine  was  clanging  the  hour  of  noon  I 
rode  up  in  front  of  a  little  inn  called  the 
Golden  Bull,  where  I  had  had  many  an 
excellent  supper.  It  was  good  to  see 
again  the  rubicund  face  of  "  mine  host," 
Tommaso,  and  to  hear  his  cheery  greeting. 
It  was  good,  too,  to  look  upon  the  familiar 
streets  and  well-known  countenances  of 
the  townsfolk,  and  to  listen  to  their  pleas- 
ant salutations.  Some  of  the  burghers 
made  much  of  me,  for  I  had  grown 
to  be  a  man  of  importance  in  their  eyes, 
now  that  I  had  followed  Gian  Galeazzo 
to  Milan.  All  this  warmed  my  heart 
so  that  I  half  forgot  my  errand.  My 
affection  toward  my  birthplace  and  the 
home  of  my  youth  was  quickened,  and 
there  crept  a  regret  into  my  thoughts 
that  fate  was  leading  my  steps  into  far- 
away paths. 

Not  until  the  stroke  of  mid-afternoon 


212  A   Man-at-Arms 

did  I  return  to  a  realization  of  my  pur- 
pose. I  knew  by  this  time  that  my  father 
would  have  finished  his  siesta,  and  would, 
unless  his  habits  had  strangely  changed, 
be  poring  over  some  Latin  parchment  in 
his  library.  Bidding  the  friends  with 
whom  I  chanced  to  be  visiting  adieu,  for 
the  first  time  in  many  a  long  month  I  set 
my  face  toward  the  house  I  had  once 
called  home.  I  was  conscious  of  a  queer 
sensation  in  my  throat  as  I  turned  into 
the  oft-trod  street,  every  stone  of  which  it 
seemed  to  me  I  knew.  There  was  none 
of  the  burning  bitterness  in  my  breast 
that  had  rankled  there  when  I  had  fled 
my  father's  presence.  I  found  it  difficult 
to  analyze  my  feeling  toward  him,  but  it 
was  one  of  compassion  rather  than  of 
anger.  It  was  not  that  I  resented  any  the 
less  deeply  the  wrong  which  he  had  done 
my  mother,  but  that  I  comprehended,  as 
I  did  not  before,  the  workings  of  the  sus- 
picious and  unhappy  nature  that  made 
possible  such  a  wrong. 

I  had  come  with  no  reproaches,  no  up- 
braidings.     I  looked  upon  the  approach- 


Last  Words  with  my  Father      213 

ing  interview  as  a  plain  matter  of  duty.  I 
was  determined  that  he  should  hear  my 
cousin's  story,  and  I  would  relate  it  to 
him  dispassionately.  Then,  I  felt  that  it 
was  due  to  him  that  he  should  know  my 
plans  for  the  future.  I  had  kept  him  in 
the  dark  long  enough.  There  were  cer- 
tain rights  of  inheritance  of  which  he 
could  not  deprive  me,  even  should  he 
choose  to  do  so,  but  these,  save  what  was 
mine  from  my  mother,  it  was  my  purpose 
to  renounce. 

As  I  turned  into  the  courtyard  I 
almost  ran  into  a  tall,  slender  youth  who 
was  passing  out.  We  stared  at  one 
another  an  instant  before  there  was  any 
recognition.  The  youth  was  my  half- 
brother,  Rinaldo,  marvellously  changed  in 
stature  since  I  had  last  put  eyes  on  him. 

"  Why,  it's  Luigi !  "  he  cried,  in  a  way 
that  surprised  me ;  for  our  relations  in  the 
past  had  been  none  of  the  pleasantest, 
owing,  I  had  always  fancied,  to  his 
mother's  influence  rather  than  to  any 
inherent  dislike  of  me  on  the  boy's  part. 
Now  he  seemed  actually  glad  to  see  me, 


214  A   Man-at-Arms 

kissing  me  with  real  cordiality  upon  the 
cheeks,  then  stepping  back  and  gazing  at 
my  accoutrement. 

"  How  fine  you  look !  "  exclaimed  he. 
"  It  must  be  a  grand  thing  to  be  a  soldier. 
Will  you  not  help  me  to  be  one,  Luigi  ? " 

"You  a  soldier,  Rinatdo  ! "  cried  I,  in 
amazement. 

"Yes,"  said  he,  "why  not?  You  are 
one.  Oh  !  "  he  exclaimed,  with  a  sudden 
change  of  tone,  "  you  are  thinking  of 
what  father  would  say  !  " 

He  had  hit  it  fairly.  Of  that  I  was 
thinking.  When  my  father  had  taken 
my  liking  for  arms  so  sorely  to  heart, 
what  would  he  say  indeed  should  he  find 
Rinaldo's  thoughts  (Rinaldo  who  was  the 
very  apple  of  his  eye)  bent  in  the  same 
direction  ? 

"He  can't  say  anything,"  exclaimed 
my  half-brother,  as  though  something 
had  all  at  once  occurred  to  him,  "  for 
he  is  sick  in  bed,  and  has  been  these 
two  months.  I  suppose  you've  come  to 
see  him  ;  but  you  can't,  for  the  mother 
won't  let  you." 


Last  Words  with  my   Father      215 

"  Father  sick  in  bed  these  two  months ! " 
cried  I,  in  astonishment.  "What  ails 
him  ?  " 

"The  doctors  say  it  is  a  gouty  rheum." 

We  had  now  turned  across  the  court- 
yard, and  were  approaching  the  stairway. 
Up  this  we  passed  together,  I  replying 
to  Rinaldo's  questions  in  haphazard  fash- 
ion, only  half  realizing  what  he  was  ask- 
ing me.  That  an  illness  should  overtake 
my  father  was  something  that  had  never 
entered  my  head.  He  had  always  seemed 
a  man  beyond  the  touch  of  ailment. 
Never  in  my  recollection  could  I  recall 
hearing  him  complain  of  feeling  ill. 
Could  it  be,  now  that  I  had  come  to 
speak  with  him  for  what  might  be  the 
last  time,  that  I  was  to  be  prevented 
because  he  lay  helpless  on  a  sick-bed, 
and  a  woman  who  had  always  thwarted 
my  wishes  whenever  it  lay  in  her  power 
stood  in  the  way  ?  "  No,"  I  said  to  my- 
self; "  see  him  I  will,  if  I  have  to  force 
myself  into  his  presence." 

As  Rinaldo  and  I  entered  the  apart- 
ment from  which  the  bedchamber  where 


216  A  Man-at-Arms 

my  father  was  lying  opened,  a  voice  from 
the  inner  room  which  I  recognized  as  that 
of  my  step-mother  called,  — 

"  Who  is  there  ?  " 

I  had  no  wish  to  see  my  father  in  her 
presence,  so  I  did  not  at  once  step  for- 
ward, neither  did  I  speak,  fearing  if  she 
heard  my  voice  the  door  would  be  closed 
in  my  face.  Rinaldo  was  also  silent,  tak- 
ing the  cue  from  me.  Presently  I  heard 
her  rise  and  approach  the  entrance.  Bid- 
ding my  step-brother  stand  where  he  was 
near  the  centre  of  the  room,  I  slipped 
into  a  corner,  thinking  to  be  for  an  in- 
stant unobserved,  and  knowing  that  if  I 
could  but  once  get  between  her  and  the 
doorway  my  purpose  would  be  achieved. 

It  all  chanced  as  I  hoped.  Seeing 
Rinaldo,  she  walked  toward  him,  asking 
him  what  he  desired,  while  I  sprang  in 
behind  her,  caught  the  door  handle,  swung 
the  panelled  barrier  shut,  set  my  back  to 
it  and  faced  her  before  she  was  fully  aware 
what  had  taken  place.  When  she  realized 
how  easily  she  had  been  circumvented,  she 
turned  upon  me  with  all  the  rage  of  a 


Last  Words  with  my  Father     217 

foiled  tigress.  Her  eyes,  which  were  usu- 
ally large  and  cold  and  gray,  contracted 
on  a  sudden,  and  became  like  glistening 
points  of  fire.  Her  lips  were  so  tightly 
drawn  that  the  white  points  of  her  teeth 
showed  beneath  them. 

"  How  dare  you  ?  how  dare  you  ?  "  she 
demanded.  "  Stand  aside,  and  let  me  go 
to  my  husband.  I  had  hoped,  as  he  had, 
that  we  should  never  look  upon  your 
ungrateful  face  again.  Get  you  gone  to 
your  brawlers  and  your  bravos  !  " 

She  advanced  as  though  she  would 
attempt  to  seize  hold  of  me  and  force  me 
from  the  position  I  had  taken,  but  I  did 
not  cow  before  her  anger ;  and  though  she 
was  a  large  woman  and  strong,  I  had  no 
fear  that  she  really  intended  to  pit  her 
strength  against  mine. 

"  Signora,"  I  said  to  her  calmly,  "  I 
have  come  hither  to  see  my  father,  and 
see  him  I  will,  nor  can  any  word  or  act  of 
yours  prevent  me.  I  regret  that  I  am 
compelled  to  take  just  this  means  to 
achieve  my  end,  but  past  experience  has 
taught  me  that  there  is  no  other  way." 


2i 8  A  Man-at-Arms 

"You  are  insulting,  basely  insulting!" 
cried  she,  in  a  towering  rage. 

"  But,  mother,"  Rinaldo  interposed, 
"  has  he  not  a  right  to  see  father  ?  " 

"  You  fool,"  his  mother  replied,  seek- 
ing some  one  on  whom  to  vent  her  anger, 
"  it  is  you  who  have  brought  him  here, 
who  have  allowed  him  to  make  his  way  to 
this  room,  to  force  himself  into  his  father's 
presence — his  father  whose  every  wish  he 
has  disregarded,  whose  life  he  has  embit- 
tered, and  whose  sick-bed  he  would  now 
unfeelingly  intrude  upon  !  " 

This  outburst  seemed  to  have  small 
effect  upon  Rinaldo,  and  I  could  but 
reflect  that  the  boy  had  freed  himself  in 
a  remarkable  manner  from  the  leading- 
strings  since  my  departure  from  home. 

"  Signora,"  said  I,  "  it  seems  to  me  that 
you  waste  words.  I  have  no  desire  for  a 
long  interview  with  my  father,  but  I  tell 
you  once  for  all,  see  him  I  will.  If  you 
return  to  this  place  at  the  end  of  three- 
quarters  of  an  hour,  you  will  find  me  gone, 
and  I  can  promise  you  that  if  we  ever 
meet  again  that  meeting  will  not  be  one 
of  my  seeking." 


Last  Words  with  my   Father    219 

Slowly  she  removed  her  gaze  from  my 
face,  a  gaze  in  which  the  most  intense 
hatred  was  still  dominant.  Deliberately 
she  turned,  and  as  deliberately  walked 
from  the  apartment,  bidding  Rinaldo  fol- 
low her.  Throwing  me  a  look  in  which 
amusement  and  resignation  were  mingled, 
he  went  out  after  her. 

I  regretted  the  necessity  of  this  scene, 
but  regrets  were  useless.  Never  could  I 
have  persuaded  my  step-mother  that  I 
had  not  returned  to  demand  my  rights  as 
the  eldest  son  and  heir  of  the  house.  It 
was  her  jealousy  of  my  position  that 
aroused  in  her  such  hatred  and  antago- 
nism. Doubtless  since  my  departure  she 
had  been  cherishing  the  hope  that  I  would 
never  reappear,  and  had  imagined  all  was 
fair  sailing  for  her  own  to  inherit  name 
and  wealth  and  position.  I  had  surmised 
how  she  would  feel,  how  she  would  fear  a 
reconciliation  should  I  succeed  in  seeing 
my  father,  and  endeavor  in  every  way  to 
thwart  me,  hence  my  little  stratagem 
which  had  succeeded  so  admirably. 

I  lost  no  time  in  opening  the  door  and 


220  A  Man-at-Arms 

entering  my  father's  bedchamber.  His 
couch  was  so  situated  that  he  could  not 
see  me,  and  he  naturally  concluded  that  it 
was  my  step-mother  who  had  returned. 

"  What  is  the  meaning  of  all  this  coil 
and  clamor,  Elisabetta  ? "  said  he,  pee- 
vishly. "  Have  you  been  having  another 
scene  with  Rinaldo  ?  Of  what  new  folly 
has  he  been  guilty  ?  " 

"  It  is  I,  father,"  said  I,  now  stepping 
to  his  bedside,  "  who  was  the  cause  of  the 
noise.  Signora  della  Verria  did  not  wish 
me  to  see  you." 

He  lifted  himself  upon  his  elbow  and 
gazed  at  me,  and  I  was  shocked  to  note 
how  emaciated  he  had  become. 

I  did  not  know  but  that  he  would  com- 
mand me  to  leave  him,  but  he  said  noth- 
ing, and  after  his  eyes  had  traversed  my 
figure  from  head  to  foot  he  sank  back, 
drew  a  long  breath,  but  still  continued  to 
look  at  me. 

"  I  hope  you  will  believe,  sir,"  I  said, 
"  that  I  would  not  have  forced  myself 
into  your  presence  had  I  not  been  going 
to  make  an  important  change  in  my  life 


Last  Words  with  my   Father    221 

which  it  seemed  right  that  you  should 
know,  and  had  I  not  had  a  story  to  relate 
to  you  to  which  I  felt  that  you  should  lis- 
ten. But  before  speaking  of  these  things 
I  wish  to  tell  you  how  deeply  grieved  I 
am  to  find  you  here." 

"  It  is  a  place  I  shall  never  leave  until 
I  am  carried  to  my  grave.  I  saw  your 
grandfather  lie  thus  for  a  half-year  before 
he  was  borne  on  his  last  journey." 

"  And  do  the  physicians  give  you  no 
hope  ? " 

"They  can  do  nothing.  It  is  an  affec- 
tion of  the  blood.  Now  I  will  hear  what 
you  have  to  say.  If  my  memory  does 
not  fail  me,  you  promised  not  to  set  foot 
beneath  this  roof  again  until  I  recalled 
certain  words  I  spoke  at  our  last  inter- 
view. I  have  not  recalled  them  —  as 
yet." 

All  this,  save  the  very  last,  was  said 
in  his  old  bitter  and  uncompromising 
way,  and  I  found  it  hard  to  choke  down 
the  anger  that  rose  in  my  breast,  despite 
the  fact  that  the  sight  of  him  lying  there 
helpless  awoke  in  me  the  sincerest  pity. 


222  A   Man-at-Arms 

Love  for  the  man  I  could  not  feel. 
Never  once,  that  I  could  recollect,  had 
he  done  anything  to  inspire  that  emotion 
in  my  heart. 

"  I  am  about  to  quit  service  under  the 
Visconti,"  I  said,  "  to  go  to  live  at  Padua 
with  my  mother's  cousin,  Alberto  Gam- 
bacorta." 

I  expected  an  outburst  at  this,  but  none 
came.  All  my  father  said  was,  — 

"  This  cousin  of  yours  was  a  fool  when 
I  knew  him  !  But  I  am  glad  you  are 
quitting  the  Visconti." 

"  It  is  Signer  Gambacorta's  story  I 
would  tell  you,"  I  said. 

"  I  think  I  know  most  of  it,"  answered 
my  father,  "  yet  I  will  listen." 

So  I  told  him  my  cousin's  story. 
There  was  silence  in  the  room  when  I 
had  done,  and  my  father  lay  with  closed 
eyes. 

"  She  was  a  beautiful  woman,  your 
mother,"  he  said  at  last,  and  now  his 
look  hung  upon  my  face,  "  yet  she  never 
ceased  to  love  him,  her  cousin,  fool  that 
he  was.  She  loved  him  when  she  mar- 


Last   Words  with  my   Father     223 

ried  me,  thinking  him  dead,  loved  him 
and  mourned  for  him  during  the  early 
days  of  our  life  together.  Do  you  won- 
der that  a  mad  jealousy  grew  in  my  heart, 
for  my  love  for  her  was  an  all-absorbing 
passion,  a  passion  which  even  now  in 
looking  upon  you  I  can  recall  in  all  its 
sweetness  and  bitterness  !  This  jealousy 
wrecked  what  happiness  might  have  been 
ours.  It  made  me  unreasonable  and  sus- 
picious, it  made  her  the  more  cold  and 
retiring.  I  kept  saying  to  myself, '  Toward 
another  she  may  be  all  fire,  toward  me 
she  is  all  ice.'  I  began  to  think,  after  a 
while,  that  perhaps  it  was  not  her  cousin 
who  had  her  love.  '  She  has  seen  some 
one  else,'  I  told  myself.  At  the  time  of 
the  reappearance  of  Alberto  Gambacorta, 
so  deeply  had  the  rust  of  jealousy  eaten 
into  my  soul  that  I  was  ready  to  grasp 
at  anything.  Our  encounter  sobered  me 
somewhat,  but  the  demon  still  whispered 
at  my  ear ;  and  all  through  my  life  at  the 
thought  of  your  mother,  so  all-demanding 
and  so  wholly  barren  of  return  was  my 
love  for  her,  the  old  flame  has  seared  me. 


224  A  Man-at-Arms 

Not  until  I  had  lain  here  for  a  month, 
and  my  flesh  and  my  spirit  been  chas- 
tened, did  I  see  with  unobscured  vision. 
The  error  was  at  the  outset.  I  should 
never  have  married  your  mother;  I,  with 
my  passionate  disposition,  should  never 
have  dreamed  that  I  could  be  contented 
with  the  passive  liking  of  a  beautiful 
woman  whose  heart  I  knew  had  been 
another's,  and  was  still  his,  though  he 
was  supposed  to  be  dead.  The  mar- 
riage itself  was  the  chief  wrong.  What 
followed  was  the  natural  and  legitimate 
outcome." 

My  father  paused,  exhausted. 

"  Your  mother,  Luigi,"  said  he,  after 
a  space,  "  was  a  blameless  woman  who 
deserved  all  the  happiness  the  world  could 
give,  and  yet  who  got  little  save  sorrow 
and  pain.  What  a  strange  world  ! 

"  You  may  wonder,"  he  went  on  sud- 
denly, "  that  realizing,  as  I  must  have 
done,  my  jealous  disposition,  I  should 
marry  again.  It  was  partly  to  see  if  I 
could  not  forget,  and  Rinaldo's  mother 
was  one  who  had  been  devoted  to  me 


Last  Words  with  my  Father     225 

even  before  I  met  your  mother  in  Padua. 
Of  her  affection  I  was  sure." 

"  I  hope  I  have  your  approval,"  I  said, 
"  in  my  decision  to  take  up  my  abode  in 
Padua." 

"  Yes  ;  that  is  for  the  best.  No  doubt 
with  the  lapse  of  years  your  cousin  is  a 
changed  man,  and  after  what  has  passed 
you  could  not  be  happy  here.  But  you 
shall  have  your  rights,  Luigi,  after  I  am 
gone." 

This  last  he  said  with  a  sudden  vehe- 
mence. 

"  Only  what  was  my  mother's,"  I  an- 
swered firmly.  "In  this  decision  nothing 
can  move  me.  I  shall  not  want,  for  I  am 
to  be  my  cousin's  heir." 

He  looked  earnestly  at  me  for  a  little ; 
then  he  said, — 

"  My  end  were  more  peaceful  were  it 
so,  and  yet  —  " 

"It  shall  be  so,"  I  said.  "I  under- 
stand." 

"  You  are  too  good  to  me,  Luigi,"  he 
muttered. 

Taking     his     dry    and    feverish    hand 


226  A  Man-at-Arms 

in  mine,  I  rose  from  my  seat  at  his 
bedside. 

"  Good  by,"  said  he. 

I  saw  a  look  in  his  eyes  I  had  never 
seen  before,  so  I  bent  over  and  kissed 
him. 


Chapter  XV 
The  Black  Closet 

WHEN  I  reached  my  quarters  in 
Milan,  I  found  a  messenger 
awaiting  me,  who  summoned  me  to  the 
palace  at  once.  I  was  not  surprised  at 
this,  thinking  that  my  master  had  recov- 
ered from  his  indisposition,  and  either 
wished  to  hear  a  report  of  my  mission  to 
Padua,  or  desired  to  despatch  me  upon 
some  further  business.  Hungry  though 
I  was,  I  set  out  on  the  messenger's  heels, 
not  dreaming  that  I  should  be  long  de- 
tained, picturing  to  myself  what  a  fine 
dinner  I  should  make  a  little  later  at  the 
inn  where  I  generally  took  my  meals. 
Already  the  usual  evening  throng  had 
begun  to  gather  in  the  piazza,  but  to  the 
gay  scene  I  gave  little  heed.  My  thoughts 
227 


228  A  Man-at-Arms 

flew  forward  to  the  interview  which  I 
expected  to  have  that  night  with  Signor 
Canaro,  and  to  the  glimpse  I  hoped  to 
have  of  Angela. 

At  the  head  of  the  staircase  I  met  Del 
Verme  and  the  captain  of  the  palace 
guard. 

"  His  Lordship  will  see  you  directly, 
Delia  Verria,"  the  former  said. 

"  Has  he  quite  recovered  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Not  wholly.  He  bade  me  tell  you  to 
wait  in  the  black  closet.  Put  aside  your 
sword  and  dagger.  His  Lordship  is  ex- 
ceedingly nervous  to-day,  and  does  not 
like  the  sight  of  weapons." 

I  was  surprised  at  neither  of  these  com- 
mands, and  yet  there  was  something  not 
quite  natural  in  Del  Verme's  manner 
toward  me,  and  I  fancied  that  the  captain 
of  the  guard  looked  at  me  askance. 

The  black  closet  was  a  small  apartment 
to  which  my  master  not  infrequently  re- 
tired for  meditation  and  study,  and  took 
its  name  from  the  fact  that  the  hangings, 
the  woodwork,  and  the  furniture  were  all 
of  black.  The  room  was  lighted  by  sev- 


The  Black  Closet  229 

eral  small  windows  set  high  in  the  wall. 
Two  doors  gave  access  to  it,  one  from  the 
large  reception-hall  where  Gian  Galeazzo 
generally  held  his  audiences,  and  the  other 
from  the  last  of  the  long  suite  of  apart- 
ments which  my  master  and  his  family 
occupied. 

The  reception-hall  ( it  was  the  same 
room  slightly  changed  in  which  Bernabo 
Visconti  had  received  me )  was  empty,  and 
though  without  the  daylight  was  still  fair, 
here  the  shadows  had  begun  to  gather, 
and  a  sensation  of  disquietude  which  was 
wholly  unnatural  stole  over  me.  I  was 
not  wont  to  be  thus  visited  by  gloomy 
impressions,  and  was  at  a  loss  to  account 
for  the  present  uncomfortable  feeling. 
With  decided  reluctance  I  parted  with  my 
sword  and  dagger,  placing  them  upon  a 
small  table  inlaid  with  jade  which  stood 
near  the  entrance  to  the  black  closet. 

I  had  been  in  this  room  many  times 
before,  having  frequently  received  my 
master's  orders  there,  and  was  well  aware 
that  the  doors  worked  by  some  peculiar 
mechanism.  Neither  door,  so  far  as  I 


230  A  Man-at-Arms 

knew,  had  a  handle.  One  gained  admis- 
sion by  the  pressure  of  a  spring,  which 
caused  a  slipping  back  of  bolts,  whereupon 
the  door  swung  inward.  Of  the  actual 
working  of  the  spring  I  was  entirely  igno- 
rant. Formerly,  when  summoned  to  the 
black  closet,  I  had  tapped  upon  one  of 
the  panels,  and  presently  been  admitted. 
I  now  followed  my  usual  custom,  and  a 
few  seconds  after  I  knocked,  the  door 
swung  backward  a  little  space,  but  quite 
sufficient  to  allow  me  to  step  inside.  The 
place  was  empty,  but  had  been  occupied 
the  instant  before ;  for,  as  I  entered,  the 
door  opposite  closed  so  violently,  that  the 
gust  of  air  from  it  caused  the  door  behind 
me  to  shut  with  an  ominous  click. 

Everything  in  the  room  seemed  the 
same  as  when  I  had  last  visited  it  save 
that  upon  a  stand  in  one  corner  there  was 
a  plentiful  supply  of  fruit  and  bread,  a 
large  pasty,  and  a  flagon  of  wine.  As  my 
eyes  rested  upon  those  eatables,  like  a  flash 
the  thought  went  through  my  brain,  "  I 
am  a  prisoner  !  "  There  was  good  reason 
for  Del  Verme's  asking  me  to  put  aside 


The  Black  Closet  231 

my  sword  and  dagger,  and  how  unsus- 
pectingly I  had  walked  into  the  trap! 

"  Pish  ! "  I  said  to  myself,  after  a  mo- 
ment's consideration,  "  what  folly  !  Why 
should  I  be  made  a  prisoner?  Gian 
Galeazzo  is  not  ready  to  see  me,  and  has 
sent  some  one  hither  to  admit  me.  He 
will  come  himself  after  a  little."  And 
yet  I  could  not  explain  the  presence  of 
the  up-heaped  table  in  the  corner. 

As  time  passed  and  no  one  appeared,  I 
grew  uneasy.  What  Signor  Canaro  had 
said,  and  furthermore  what  he  had  implied, 
in  regard  to  my  master  came  to  my  mind 
and  would  not  be  banished.  Slowly  the 
light  faded  and  darkness  closed  about  me, 
and  still  I  heard  no  sound,  so  that  gradu- 
ally I  was  forced  to  the  conclusion  that 
my  first  surmise  had  been  correct.  The 
fruit  and  bread,  the  pasty  and  the  wine, 
had  evidently  been  left  there  for  me,  so 
I  proceeded  to  attack  them,  and  a  very 
good  meal  I  made  in  spite  of  the  dis- 
quieted state  of  my  thoughts. 

After  I  had  carefully  considered  every- 
thing, I  came  to  the  conclusion  that  there 


232  A  Man-at-Arms 

could  be  but  one  cause  for  my  detention 
— and  this  was  that  my  acquaintance  with 
Signor  Canaro  and  Angela  was  known  to 
the  Visconti,  and  he  wished  to  keep  me 
out  of  the  way  until  he  had  worked  his 
pleasure  with  them.  Perhaps  one  of  the 
bravos  who  had  attacked  Signor  Canaro 
had  recognized  me ;  possibly  the  abode 
of  father  and  daughter  was  watched,  and 
I  had  been  seen  issuing  from  it.  Then 
I  fell  to  puzzling  over  the  misfortunes 
of  the  Brescian.  Assuredly,  despite  his 
wealth,  his  lot  was  far  from  being  cast 
in  pleasant  places.  Persecuted  by  Ber- 
nabo,  now,  for  some  unknown  cause,  he 
was  being  harried  by  his  nephew  and 
successor.  But  was  the  cause  so  difficult 
to  understand  ?  Gian  Galeazzo  was  about 
entering  upon  what  might  prove  an  ex- 
pensive campaign.  There  were  new  levies 
of  troops  to  be  raised,  more  mercenaries 
to  be  paid.  True,  the  system  of  tax- 
ation which  he  had  introduced  yielded 
plentiful  returns,  but  might  he  not  have 
need  of  larger  sums  than  he  could  put  his 
hand  upon  ?  Who  could  say  what  plans, 


The  Black  Closet  233 

what  schemes  for  the  future,  were  foment- 
ing in  that  crafty  brain  ?  Was  it  not  the 
riches  of  Signer  Canaro  that  he  was  aim- 
ing to  obtain  to  enable  him  to  carry  out 
his  ambitious  designs? 

That  he  had  some  hold  upon  the  Bres- 
cian  I  was  certain,  perhaps  some  claim 
of  doubtful  validity  which  he  proposed  to 
enforce.  At  the  thought  of  such  baseness 
and  cowardice,  such  injustice,  my  heart 
rose  up  within  me.  "  And  this  is  the 
man,"  I  said  to  myself,  "  whom  I  have 
been  so  delighted  to  serve  !  " 

It  had  grown  quite  dark  by  this,  and  I 
felt  my  way  to  a  couch  at  one  side  of  the 
room,  casting  myself  upon  it  in  rage  of 
spirit.  Here  I  lay  throughout  the  night, 
catching  bits  of  broken  slumber,  silently 
storming  at  my  impotence,  wondering  and 
fearing  what,  in  the  interval,  was  happen- 
ing to  the  two  whose  safety  I  had  pledged 
myself  to  guard.  Bfave  indeed  must  be 
the  man  who  can  hold  at  bay  the  wolves 
of  doubt  and  fear  through  the  long  dark- 
ness from  dusk  to  dawn  if  he  be  caged 
and  powerless  to  lift  a  hand.  Grisly  tales 


234  A  Man-at-Arms 

of  the  outrages  practised  by  the  tyrants 
of  the  day  swarmed  in  upon  my  mind, 
and  more  than  a  score  of  times  I  fancied 
Signer  Canaro  murdered  and  Angela 
worse  than  dead.  But  hope  leaped  up  in 
my  heart  with  the  first  glimmer  of  the 
sun,  only  to  sink  again  as  the  morning 
waned,  and  no  one  came  to  release  me 
from  my  confinement  Over  every  inch 
of  the  doors  and  casings  did  I  go  again 
and  yet  again  in  search  for  the  hidden 
springs,  and  without  avail.  Though  I 
knew  it  was  useless,  I  beat  upon  the  thick 
panels  and  cried  out  in  my  impatience  and 
anger.  I  raged  up  and  down  my  narrow 
quarters  until  well-nigh  exhausted,  finally 
to  cast  myself  upon  the  couch,  where  I 
fell  to  biting  my  nails  in  silent  despair. 

So  noon  passed,  and  the  afternoon 
wore  away.  Dejectedly  I  ate  the  last  of 
the  fruit  and  drained  the  flagon,  and  then 
began  to  wonder  if  my  provisions  would 
be  replenished,  or  if  I  should  still  be  held 
a  prisoner  and  forced  to  fast,  or  if  by  any 
chance  the  hour  of  my  release  was  at  hand. 
I  had  now  spent  a  night  and  a  day  in  the 


The  Black  Closet  235 

black  closet,  and  all  my  thoughts  were  by 
this  time  quite  in  harmony  with  the  hang- 
ings and  furnishings  of  the  place.  No 
sound  from  without  had  reached  me  so 
thick  were  the  walls.  Not  even  from  the 
adjoining  reception-hall  did  the  slightest 
indication  of  noise  come  to  my  ears.  It 
was  as  though  I  were  in  a  place  of  the 
dead.  Strange  it  would  have  been  had 
my  spirits  been  other  than  like  a  stream 
at  its  lowest  ebb.  A  single  sound,  how- 
ever, was  enough  to  set  them  well  toward 
flood,  —  a  click  which  told  of  the  moving 
of  a  spring.  At  last  I  should  know  if  I 
had  correctly  surmised  the  cause  of  my 
detention.  No  longer  should  I  be  kept 
in  suspense  in  regard  to  what  to  expect. 

The  door  which  swung  back  was  that 
leading  from  the  reception-hall,  and  the 
face  I  saw  in  the  opening  was  that  of  Del 
Verme.  He  gave  me  an  amused  smile  as 
he  entered,  and  behind  him  I  descried  the 
Visconti,  whose  usually  grave  countenance 
was  lit  by  a  look  I  had  not  infrequently 
seen  upon  it,  that  of  satisfaction  over 
something  achieved.  I  rose  at  their  en- 


236  A  Man-at-Arms 

trance,  but  gave  them  neither  greeting  nor 
salute. 

"  A  little  rest  is  good  even  for  young 
limbs,"  said  Del  Verme,  leaning  upon  the 
back  of  the  deep  chair  into  which  my 
master  sank.  "  His  Lordship  feared  you 
might  over-exert  yourself,  Delia  Verria,  and 
so  thought  best  to  insure  you  a  little  quiet." 

The  soldier  made  no  attempt  to  veil 
the  irony  of  this  speech,  and  my  anger 
which  had  kindled  at  the  sight  of  the  two 
men  flamed  to  a  white  heat  at  this. 

"  I  should  prefer  choosing  my  own 
place  of  rest,"  I  said,  "  and  having  ridden 
so  far  in  his  Lordship's  service,  I  find 
myself  indeed  weaned,  and  do  herewith 
tender  to  his  Lordship  my  resignation 
from  the  position  in  his  palace  guard  with 
which  he  deemed  it  fit  some  time  since  to 
honor  me." 

I  saw  by  the  faces  of  both  the  Visconti 
and  Del  Verme  that  my  answer  was  un- 
expected. It  was  evident  enough  that 
they  had  no  wish  that  I  should  give  up 
my  place  as  Gian  Galeazzo's  trusted  mes- 
senger. 


The  Black  Closet  237 

"  You  mistake  Del  Verme's  meaning," 
said  my  master,  in  his  most  velvety  tones. 
"  I  wish  to  be  perfectly  frank  and  fair 
with  you,  as  I  have  always  been.  There 
was  a  little  affair  upon  which  you  appar- 
ently inadvertently  stumbled,  a  little  lesson 
in  the  uselessness  of  persistent  obstinacy 
which  you  may  have  misunderstood,  but 
which  was  fully  merited.  It  became  nec- 
essary to  carry  out  this  little  affair,  to 
complete  this  little  lesson ;  and  to  guard 
against  your  possible  presence  through  a 
second  inadvertence,  or  a  further  misun- 
derstanding, it  seemed  best  to  ask  you  to 
remain  here  a  few  hours,  a  necessity  which 
I  most  heartily  regret.  I  tried  to  make 
you  as  comfortable  as  possible,  and  sin- 
cerely hope  that  the  time  did  not  hang 
heavily.  Now  that  the  matter  of  which 
I  spoke  is  fully  adjusted,  I  trust  that  you 
will  be  able  to  forget  your  tarry  here,  and 
that  you  will  continue  your  duties  as 
before.  You  know  we  are  about  advent- 
uring upon  a  campaign  in  which  there  will 
be  a  rare  chance  for  a  young  man  like 
yourself  to  win  both  fame  and  fortune." 


238  A  Man-at-Arms 

While  my  master  was  speaking,  my 
temper  cooled  somewhat,  and  my  mind 
worked  rapidly.  The  chief  part  of  my 
conclusions  had  been  correct.  I  had  been 
detained,  so  that  without  hinderance  Gian 
Galeazzo  could  do  what  he  willed  with 
Signor  Canaro,  who,  it  appeared,  had  re- 
fused to  comply  with  his  demands.  Now, 
more  than  ever,  the  Brescian  and  his 
daughter  were  in  need  of  my  aid.  They 
were  perhaps  imprisoned  somewhere. 
Was  it  not  likely  that  I  could  be  of 
more  service  to  them  if  I  made  a  pre- 
tence of  still  being  on  friendly  terms  with 
my  master  than  as  if  I  maintained  the 
stand  I  had  taken  and  insisted  on  resign- 
ing then  and  there  ?  Perhaps  he  would 
have  me  watched  for  a  while,  but  I  would 
at  least  gain  time,  and  would  not  be  com- 
pelled to  leave  the  city  at  once,  as  might 
be  the  case  if  I  persisted  in  my  decision 
to  quit  my  position. 

"  I  acknowledge  that  I  was  hasty  in  my 
determination,"  I  said,  "and  I  have  no 
doubt  that  a  few  breaths  of  free  air  will 
suffice  to  blot  all  this  incident  from  my 
memory." 


The  Black  Closet  239 

I  knew  well  enough  when  I  spoke 
these  words  that  nothing  short  of  a  com- 
plete lapsing  of  all  recollection  would 
cause  me  to  forget  what  had  occurred,  and 
I  pray  that  Christ  and  the  Virgin  have 
forgiven  me  the  lie  which  never  would 
have  been  uttered  had  I  seen  my  way 
clear  to  avoid  it. 

"  Ah,  now  the  man  of  sense  speaks  !  " 
cried  the  Visconti.  "  We  shall  see  you  a 
captain  soon,  shall  we  not,  Del  Verme  ? " 

"  Perhaps  upon  the  day  we  take  the 
field,  if  it  is  your  Lordship's  pleasure," 
answered  the  soldier. 

"  Thank  you  for  the  suggestion.  I 
shall  be  as  careful  to  remember  as  Delia 
Verria  is  to  forget." 

I  endeavored  to  express  in  fitting  terms 
my  appreciation  of  the  new  honor  which 
they  proposed  to  confer  upon  me,  but 
much  as  I  should  have  been  elated  at 
such  a  promotion  a  few  months  earlier, 
there  was  in  it  now  no  smack  of  sweet- 
ness. It  would  not  do,  however,  to  allow 
them  to  see  this,  and  I  flatter  myself  I 
carried  oflf  the  deception  well.  As  I 


240  A  Man-at-Arms 

ceased  speaking,  my  master  rose,  and  I 
knew  the  interview  was  at  an  end.  He 
stepped  toward  the  door,  and  it  seemed  to 
me  that  I  heard  the  click  of  the  spring 
before  he  had  time  to  put  hand  upon  panel 
or  casing. 

"  It  is  not  likely  that  I  shall  ever  be 
trapped  here  again,"  I  thought ;  "  but  if  I 
am,  the  floor  is  the  place  where  I  shall 
look  for  that  hidden  spring." 

"  You  will  find  your  sword  where  you 
left  it,"  said  my  master,  standing  aside  for 
me  to  pass.  "  But  stay  !  "  he  exclaimed, 
halting  me  in  the  doorway,  and  crossing 
the  room  he  flung  open  a  press  which 
stood  in  a  niche  in  one  corner  of  the 
closet.  Several  cloaks  hung  therein,  and 
one  he  lifted  from  the  hook  which 
held  it." 

"This,"  he  said,  handing  it  to  me,  "you 
might  take  with  you." 

It  was  my  own  cloak  which  had  been 
caught  up  by  the  third  of  Signor  Canaro's 
assailants  in  the  Via  San  Lorenzo  when 
the  wretch  had  fled  at  the  sound  of  nearing 
footsteps.  In  a  flash  it  came  to  me  who 


The  Black  Closet  241 

the  man  was.  He  was  none  other  than 
the  trooper  whom  Gian  Galeazzo  had  bid- 
den to  prove  my  swordsmanship  in  the 
palace  garden  at  Pavia,  Otto  von  Etter- 
garde. 


Chapter  XVI 
To  the  Rescue 

AS  I  strode  through  the  corridors  of 
the  palace,  I  was  amazed  to  think 
that  von  Ettergarde  had  not  entered  my 
mind  before,  now  that  I  recalled  certain 
peculiarities  of  thrust  and  parry  which  had 
struck,  me  at  our  first  meeting  and  again 
at  our  encounter  that  night ;  and  yet  it 
was  several  months  since  I  had  seen  the 
man,  so  mayhap  it  was  not  so  strange  that 
I  had  not  known  him.  It  was  clear 
enough  now  how  my  master  had  become 
cognizant  of  my  part  in  the  affair  of  the 
Via  San  Lorenzo.  Doubtless  von  Etter- 
garde had  recognized  the  palace  guards- 
man in  my  dress,  and  if  he  had  not  been 
certain  of  my  identity  at  first,  my  cloak, 
which  was  of  peculiar  and  marked  style, 
242 


To  the  Rescue  243 

revealed  my  personality  beyond  a  ques- 
tion. 

A  thrill  of  delight  went  through  me  as 
I  felt  the  stones  of  the  pavement  beneath 
my  feet,  and  saw  the  rose-tinted  evening 
sky  above  my  head.  I  sped  toward  my 
lodgings  with  all  haste,  feeling  that  I 
should  probably  be  followed  and  my 
movements  watched,  yet  confident  that  a 
little  later,  if  I  so  desired,  I  could  elude 
those  who  spied  upon  me. 

I  found  the  goodwife  in  whose  house 
my  quarters  were  situated  standing  at  the 
street  door. 

"  Here  you  are  at  last,"  said  she. 
"  There  is  a  woman  within  who  has  been 
waiting  to  see  you  since  early  morning. 
She  is  in  a  sad  state,  poor  thing,  yet  never 
a  word  will  she  tell  me  of  her  trouble." 

"Quick!"  cried  I,  "take  me  to  her." 

Along  the  passage  the  goodwife  led  me 
to  her  own  apartments  at  the  rear  of  the 
house.  Here  sat  the  woman  of  whom  she 
had  spoken,  staring  blankly  out  into  a  bare 
enclosure.  As  I  had  surmised,  it  was 
Angela  Canaro's  serving-maid.  She  turned 


244  A  Man-at-Arms 

as  we  entered,  and,  although  the  light  was 
dim,  recognized  me  at  once.  She  sprang 
up  with  a  cry  of  joy,  and  rushed  toward 
me,  falling  upon  her  knees  at  my  side 
and  grasping  one  of  my  hands  in  both  of 
hers. 

"  O  Signore,"  she  exclaimed,  "  you  will 
save  her,  will  you  not,  my  sweet  mistress  ? 
You  will  save  her,  will  you  not,  Signore  ?  " 

Before  I  could  win  the  story  of  what 
had  happened  from  the  woman's  lips  I 
had  to  promise  that  I  would  rescue  Angela 
and  her  father  —  an  assurance  which  was 
easy  to  give,  but  an  undertaking  which  I 
was  sure  would  be  far  from  easy  to  accom- 
plish. 

It  appeared  from  the  woman's  broken 
tale,  which  I  finally  succeeded  in  piecing 
together,  that  late  the  previous  night  a 
man  had  gained  entrance  to  the  abode  of 
the  Brescian  and  his  daughter  under  the 
plea  of  being  a  messenger  from  the  physi- 
cian, who  bore  to  the  wounded  man  a 
lotion  from  his  master.  Once  having 
gained  admission  to  the  house,  he  allowed 
six  or  eight  masked  men  to  enter,  who 


To  the  Rescue  245 

speedily  forced  their  way  to  the  rooms  of 
Signer  Canaro,  slaying  the  old  serving- 
man,  who  offered  resistance.  Both  father 
and  daughter  were  seized  and  carried  be- 
low, where  horses  were  in  waiting,  which 
they  were  forced  to  mount.  The  woman 
had  clung  to  her  mistress  and  begged  to 
be  taken  with  her,  but  had  been  rudely 
thrown  aside  when  the  horsemen  were 
ready  to  start.  Just  as  they  were  about 
departing,  Angela  had  leaned  over  and, 
in  a  whisper,  bade  her  seek  me  out  and 
tell  me  she  thought  they  were  to  be  taken 
to  the  Tower  of  Vezio.  Where  this  was 
the  woman  did  not  know,  nor  could  she 
say  how  her  mistress  had  obtained  her 
information. 

Like  the  serving-maid,  I  was  ignorant 
of  the  whereabouts  of  the  tower,  but  that 
was  a  small  matter.  Hartzheim  would 
doubtless  know,  or  be  able  to  find  out 
readily,  and  on  him  I  counted  for  assist- 
ance. How  far  he  would  be  willing  to 
aid  me  I  could  not  say,  but  I  determined 
at  once  to  set  out  in  search  of  him,  and 
relate  to  him  the  whole  story.  Certainly 


246  A  Man-at-Arms 

the  knowledge  of  the  destination  of  the 
kidnappers  was  a  great  point  gained,  and 
I  blessed  my  forethought  in  telling  An- 
gela where  my  lodgings  were,  else  had  I 
not  come  by  this  so  speedily.  She  had 
probably  overheard  one  of  her  captors  let 
fall  the  name  of  the  tower,  and  had 
grasped  it  as  being  the  place  where  she 
and  her  father  were  likely  to  be  imprisoned. 
I  concluded  from  the  serving-woman's 
account  of  the  treatment  they  received, 
that  they  were  in  no  immediate  danger  of 
their  lives,  unless  the  fatigue  of  horseback 
riding  should  affect  Signer  Canaro  unfavor- 
ably, and  ascended  to  my  rooms  consider- 
ably heartened  at  what  I  had  heard. 

I  put  aside  my  guardsman's  dress, 
donned  a  shirt  of  linked  mail,  then  se- 
lected a  doublet  of  dark  stuff  with  trunks 
and  hose  to  match.  My  garb  being  to 
my  satisfaction,  I  secured  what  gold  I 
possessed,  together  with  my  few  trinkets, 
about  my  person,  and  was  ready  to  set 
out.  Below  stairs  I  paused  for  a  last 
word  with  the  woman.  Calling  the  good- 
wife  of  the  house  aside,  I  put  several 


To  the  Rescue  247 

pieces  of  gold  into  her  hand  and  bade 
her  care  for  the  unfortunate  serving-maid 
until  she  should  be  sent  for.  Should  no 
one  come  for  her  after  a  space  of  two 
months,  I  begged  the  goodwife  to  interest 
herself  in  obtaining  her  a  position.  To 
the  serving-woman  herself  I  renewed  my 
assurance  that  I  would  find  her  mistress, 
and  that  when  I  had  seen  her  in  a  place 
of  safety  she  should  be  allowed  to  join 
her  again. 

Except  the  man  at  the  stable  who  had 
charge  of  Hawkwood  I  employed  no  ser- 
vant,—  though  I  had  intended  to  when 
I  changed  my  quarters,  —  and  I  now  had 
reason  to  be  thankful  that  I  was  totally 
unhampered.  Instead  of  seeking  egress 
to  the  street  by  the  common  entrance,  I 
passed  from  the  rear  of  the  house  into  the 
small  enclosure  behind  it,  and  thence  to 
the  back  room  of  a  small  wine-shop,  which 
had  a  door  opening  upon  a  crooked  ally. 
Picking  my  way  along  this  dim  passage, 
I  finally  emerged  in  a  thoroughfare  well 
lighted  and  gayly  peopled.  Slipping  on 
the  mask  which  I  had  found  in  the  piazza 


248  A  Man-at-Arms 

and  taken  care  to  preserve,  I  hurried  off 
toward  Hartzheim's  quarters.  If  a  watch 
had  been  set  upon  me  I  was  sure  that  I 
had  eluded  scrutiny.  I  had  not  been  able 
to  see  Hartzheim  since  my  return  from 
Padua,  and  was  by  no  means  sure  where 
to  look  for  him.  Though  I  knew  he  was 
rarely  at  his  lodgings,  I  thought  perhaps 
his  man  might  be  able  to  give  me  some 
clew  to  his  whereabouts.  Hence  it  was 
thither  I  first  turned  my  steps. 

As  I  ascended  the  stairs  which  led  to 
the  rooms  of  my  friend,  there  came  down 
to  me  a  gay  burst  of  laughter,  and  then 
the  loud  chorus  of  a  drinking-song.  I 
halted  in  vexation  of  spirit.  Hartzheim 
was  giving  a  supper  to  some  of  his  Ger- 
man comrades.  For  my  purpose  nothing 
could  have  been  more  inopportune.  What 
should  I  do  ?  Hartzheim  I  must  see,  and 
without  delay,  for  in  him  lay  my  only 
hope  of  assistance.  But  to  show  myself 
to  his  companions,  with  some  of  whom  I 
no  doubt  had  at  least  a  slight  acquaint- 
ance, was  far  from  my  desire.  However, 
no  other  course  seemed  open  ;  so,  deciding 


To  the  Rescue  249 

to  trust  the  outcome  to  fortune  and  deter- 
mining, unless  absolutely  forced  to  do  so, 
not  to  remove  my  mask,  I  mounted  to 
the  top  of  the  stairs  and  struck  a  bold 
summons  on  the  door.  Above  the  din  I 
heard  the  host's  cry  of  "  Enter !  "  So  I 
swung  back  the  heavy  oak,  and  advanced 
a  pace  within  the  doorway. 

Through  the  reek  of  candle  fumes  and 
the  flare  of  the  flames,  I  made  out  the 
faces  of  five  troopers  gathered  with  my 
friend  about  a  table  on  which,  in  the  centre 
of  the  fragments  of  a  feast,  stood  a  huge 
flagon  of  the  red  Tuscan  chianti.  The 
effect  caused  by  my  appearance  was  like 
that  of  a  ghost  at  a  banquet,  which  per- 
haps was  little  to  be  wondered  at,  for, 
coming  in  upon  them  suddenly  in  my 
sombre  garb  and  black  mask,  I  undoubt- 
edly seemed  for  a  moment  like  an  uncanny 
visitant  from  a  dark  world  concerning 
which  men  are  wont  to  speak  with  bated 
breath. 

Two  of  the  troopers  sprang  up  with 
exclamations  of  fright,  a  third  started  back 
in  his  chair  and  nearly  upset  the  table. 


250  A  Man-at-Arms 

while  Hartzheim,  less  superstitious  than 
the  rest,  angry  at  being  interrupted,  and 
not  dreaming  who  I  was,  roared  out  an 
oath,  and  demanded  what  I  wanted. 

"  My  business,"  said  I,  "  is  with  the 
Signer  Hartzheim." 

Still  he  did  not  know  me,  for  he  rose 
from  his  seat  and  came  toward  the  door 
in  no  very  good-humored  fashion. 

"  Well,"  he  exclaimed,  "  be  short !  You 
see  I  am  engaged." 

"  It  is  a  matter  of  great  importance," 
said  I,  boldly,  "  and  for  your  ear  alone." 

"Ah!  "  he  cried,  his  whole  air  changing 
as  he  now  recognized  my  voice.  "  Come 
this  way.  My  friends  will  pardon  us  if 
we  withdraw  for  a  moment." 

He  led  me  into  his  sleeping-room  and 
closed  the  door. 

"  What,  in  the  name  of  the  saints,  is 
the  meaning  of  all  this  mystery  ? "  said 
he,  as  I  removed  my  mask. 

"  That  I  am  in  great  trouble,  and  want, 
your  advice,"  I  answered,  thinking  it  best 
to  put  it  in  that  way. 

"  What  has  happened  ?  " 


To  the  Rescue  251 

"  It  will  take  me  some  time  to  explain. 
Where  can  I  see  you,  and  how  soon  ? " 

He  thought  a  moment. 

"  Stay  where  you  are,"  he  said.  "  I 
will  send  these  fellows  packing.  Some 
of  them  have  already  had  more  wine  than 
is  good  for  them.  I  will  tell  them  you 
bring  an  important  message  from  Gian 
Galeazzo  which  compels  me  to  ask  them 
to  postpone  the  rest  of  our  festivities. 
That  will  satisfy  them." 

He  left  me  hurriedly,  and  presently  I 
heard  the  troopers  descending  the  stairs, 
none  too  steadily  some  of  them.  Then 
the  door  was  flung  open. 

"  Now  you  may  come  out,"  my  friend 
exclaimed. 

We  seated  ourselves,  and  he  poured  me 
a  cup  of  wine. 

"  Take  that,"  said  he.  "  You  look  as 
though  you  needed  it  to  pull  yourself 
together." 

I  swallowed  a  part  of  the  draught  he 
offered  me,  and  then  began  my  story. 
As  I  proceeded,  he  rose,  and  paced  the 
room,  questioning  me  occasionally. 


252  A  Man-at-Arms 

"It  is  a  dastardly  deed ! "  he  cried, 
when  I  had  finished.  "  I  suppose  you 
think  of  trying  to  rescue  the  girl  and  her 
father?" 

"  Yes,"  I  answered ;  "  I  am  willing  to 
risk  life  —  afl  —  for  her  an  hundred  times 
over." 

"  The  rescue  will  not  be  an  easy  matter, 
but  it  will  be  vastly  easier  if  they  are  con- 
fined in  the  Tower  of  Vezio  than  it  would 
be  if  they  were  secreted  here." 

"You  know  where  the  tower  is,  then?" 

"  Yes,  I  have  seen  it.  It  overlooks  the 
lake  of  Como  just  above  where  the  two 
arms  of  the  lake  join.  In  time  gone  by 
it  has  sometimes  been  garrisoned  by  the 
rulers  of  Milan  to  enforce  their  over- 
lordship  of  that  region,  but  I  am  sure 
there  is  no  garrison  in  it  now." 

"  Advise  me,  Hartzheim,"  I  cried : 
"  you  are  full  of  resources.  Tell  me 
what  I  had  best  do." 

He  was  silent  for  a  space,  then  he  came 
and  offered  me  his  hand. 

"  I  will  do  more  than  that,"  he  said  ;  "  I 
will  help  you." 


To  the  Rescue  253 

I  leaped  to  my  feet  with  an  exclamation 
of  joy. 

"  I  had  hoped  you  would,"  I  cried, 
"  but  I  would  not  breathe  the  hope.  I 
felt  I  should  be  asking  you  to  sacrifice  too 
much." 

"  I  confess,"  said  he,  "  that  I  have  had 
great  expectations  from  this  war  in  which 
the  Visconti  is  about  to  engage.  If  I  aid 
you  I  put  behind  me  all  rewards  that 
might  come  from  a  successful  campaign, 
but  pouf!  there  will  be  other  wars, 
and  there  are  other  masters  quite  as  will- 
ing to  pay  for  a  good  sword  and  a  stout 
arm." 

"  But  you  are  not  considering  what 
might  happen  in  case  we  should  fail," 
said  I,  "and  you  should  fall  into  Gian 
Galeazzo's  hands." 

"  Fail !  "  he  cried.  "  I'  faith,  you  are  a 
pretty  lover  to  talk  of  failing  when  you 
are  about  to  set  out  to  rescue  your  mis- 
tress." 

"  I  was  thinking  of  the  consequences  to 
you,  and  not  of  myself,"  said  I. 

He  picked  up  his  beaker  of  wine. 


254  A  Man-at-Arms 

"  A  toast !  "  he  cried.  "  Here's  health 
to  La  bella  Signorina,  and  confusion  to  the 
Great  Viper  ! 

"  Now  to  business,"  he  continued,  as 
we  put  down  our  empty  cups.  "  We 
should  be  on  the  road  north  by  midnight, 
or  soon  after,  and  in  the  meanwhile  there 
is  much  to  be  looked  to.  It  is  advisa- 
ble that  you  keep  out  of  sight,  so  you 
had  better  let  me  make  the  necessary  ar- 
rangements. There  is  a  little  inn  called 
the  Triton,  near  the  Vercellina  gate,  which 
I  presume  you  know.  I  will  secure 
horses  and  have  them  sent  thither,  and 
will  meet  you  there  at  eleven,  or  there- 
abouts. Do  you  hasten  thither  at  once 
and  keep  under  cover  until  I  come.  We 
shall  need  a  bite  before  we  start,  for  a 
night's  ride  on  an  empty  stomach  is  an 
ill  medicine  for  the  digestion,  so  bid  the 
landlord  have  a  stuffed  fowl  or  a  rabbit 
ready,  against  my  arrival,  in  one  of  his 
rooms  above  stairs." 

I  was  not  slow  to  do  my  friend's  bid- 
ding, and  presently  I  was  sitting  in  a  cosy 
little  apartment  in  the  Triton  (the  very 


To  the  Rescue  255 

inn  where  I  had  paused  for  a  draught  of 
wine  on  the  morning  of  my  mission  to 
Milan),  waiting  with  impatience  well  in 
curb,  for  the  appearance  of  Hartzheim. 

The  moonlight  spattered  with  silver  the 
open  space  in  front  of  the  inn,  and  the 
water  made  a  pleasant  gurgle  in  the  stone 
drinking-basin.  Unseen  by  the  comers 
and  goers,  I  watched  the  tide  of  patronage 
slacken  as  the  hour  grew  late,  my  thoughts 
leaping  forward  along  the  northward  track 
we  were  to  follow.  I  gritted  my  teeth  as 
I  dwelt  upon  Angela  Canaro  in  the  hands 
of  Gian  Galeazzo's  band  of  kidnappers, 
exposed  to  I  knew  not  what  insults  and 
indignities,  and  longed  for  the  time  to 
come  when  we  should  be  in  the  saddle 
with  the  south  wind  at  our  backs.  I 
could  but  admire  Hartzheim's  foresight  in 
choosing  the  Vercellina  gate  for  our  exit 
from  the  city.  We  should  both  be  missed 
before  the  morning  was  many  hours  old, 
and  an  immediate  inquiry  be  instituted. 
If  it  were  discovered,  as  it  doubtless  would 
be,  that  horsemen  had  ridden  forth  at  mid- 
night from  the  gateway  leading  toward 


256  A  Man-at-Arms 

Pavia,  suspicion  in  regard  to  our  real  des- 
tination might  be  averted.  Yet  I  had  a 
notion  that  as  soon  as  the  Visconti  learned 
of  my  disappearance  he  would  despatch  an 
admonition  of  caution  to  the  one  com- 
manding the  men  at  the  tower,  in  which 
case  it  behooved  us  to  hasten.  We  should 
have  scant  time  to  elaborate  a  plan  of  res- 
cue. A  bold,  quick  stroke  would  have  to 
be  depended  upon. 

Before  the  last  guest  left  the  wine-room, 
a  man  leading  three  horses  turned  into  the 
open  space  before  the  inn.  In  the  man  I 
made  out  Hartzheim's  servant,  Galbo, 
who  was  evidently  to  accompany  us,  and 
among  the  horses  much  to  my  delight 
I  discovered  Hawkwood,  seemingly  no 
longer  lame.  I  hoped  my  friend  was 
not  far  behind,  but  it  was  fully  an  hour, 
and  hard  upon  midnight,  before  I  beheld 
his  stalwart  bulk  in  the  doorway  of  the 
apartment. 

"  I  was  delayed,"  said  Hartzheim,  "  for 
I  had  to  assure  a  little  woman  I  would 
send  for  her  when  I  was  safely  settled  in 
Padua  or  Venice,"  and  the  great  fellow 
smiled  rather  sheepishly. 


To  the  Rescue  257 

"  Ah,"  said  I,  to  whom  this  was  wholly 
in  the  nature  of  a  surprise,  "  so  Mars  is 
ruled  by  Venus,  after  all !  " 

"  Well,  you  see,"  he  explained,  "  I  had 
promised  her  that  after  this  campaign  we 
would  have  a  cosy  place  somewhere  to  our- 
selves, a  tidy  little  inn  like  this,  maybe." 

Then  I  saw  what  a  sacrifice  he  was 
making  in  my  behalf,  and  broke  out,  tell- 
ing him  that  I  would  not  allow  it ;  but  he 
silenced  me  in  his  careless,  kindly  way, 
saying  now,  knowing  what  he  did,  he 
would  not  serve  Gian  Galeazzo  if  his 
Lordship  offered  him  the  command  of  all 
his  forces. 

After  this  we  fell  to  discussing  the 
stuffed  fowl  which  the  landlord  had 
brought  in  steaming,  and  presently  Galbo 
appeared  to  say  that  the  horses  were 
ready.  Hartzheim  bade  his  man  finish 
the  fowl,  then  we  hurried  below,  and  hav- 
ing settled  our  reckoning,  went  forth  to 
mount.  Hawkwood  poked  his  velvety 
nose  up  to  my  face  as  I  adjusted  his  bri- 
dle, and  I  called  him  what  he  was,  and 
still  is,  the  prince  of  horses. 


258  A  Man-at-Arms 

There  was  but  a  brief  halt  at  the  gate, 
for  Hartzheim  told  the  keeper  in  so 
authoritative  a  way  that  we  rode  upon  his 
Lordship's  business  that  he  did  not  vent- 
ure to  question  us.  Soon  we  were  cut- 
ting a  wide  arc  about  the  city  walls,  and 
erelong  the  hoofs  of  our  horses  were  beat- 
ing in  rhythmic  unison  upon  the  Como 
road. 


Chapter    XVII 
The  Encounter  at  Como 

DAWN  was  breaking  when  we  rode 
into  Como  and  halted  at  the  Sign 
of  the  Carp  upon  the  lake  quay.  I  was 
moved  by  the  beauty  of  the  scene,  the 
like  of  which  I  had  never  before  looked 
upon.  There  was  a  flush  of  mingled  rose 
and  gold  upon  the  water,  and  the  sails  of 
the  outgoing  fisher  boats  were  like  great 
delicately  tinted  wings  in  the  wondrous 
light.  There  was  no  one  astir  about  the 
inn,  but  we  were  not  long  in  rousing  a 
hostler  who  took  charge  of  our  horses, 
and  as  we  turned  from  the  stable  the 
landlord  appeared,  rubbing  the  sleep  from 
his  eyes. 

"A  fair  day  to  you,  gentlemen,"  said 
he.    "  Such  early  travellers  deserve  all  the 
259 


260  A  Man-at-Arms 

good  things  fortune  provides.  It  is  a 
sorry  thing  to  have  to  ride  by  night." 

"It  is  sorry  indeed,"  said  I,  "unless 
there  be  a  hot  flitch  waiting  at  the  end 
of  the  journey." 

"  Such  may  be  found  here,  and  of  the 
best,  by  any  that  have  the  coin  to  pay  for 
it." 

"  Then  rouse  your  cook,  and  bid  him 
stir  his  fire,"  we  cried,  and  while  the  land- 
lord set  out  to  do  our  bidding  we  strolled 
down  to  the  water's  edge,  having  in  mind 
to  look  for  a  boat  that  would  suit  our 
purpose.  We  were  still  examining  the 
shipping  when  he  hailed  us  with  the  an- 
nouncement that  our  meal  was  ready.  As 
we  passed  into  the  room  where  it  was 
being  served,  we  heard  a  stir  in  the  apart- 
ment above,  and  Hartzheim  remarked  to 
the  landlord  that  some  of  his  guests  were 
moving  early. 

"  Yes,"  that  worthy  said,  "  they  are  two 
troopers  who  remained  behind  to  pur- 
chase provisions ;  their  comrades,  who 
were  escorting  a  lady  and  gentleman, 
some  invalid  lord  and  his  lady  on  their 


The  Encounter  at  Como        261 

way  to  their  castle,  went  up  the  lake  yester 
noon." 

I  forbore  to  look  at  Hartzheim  when 
I  heard  this,  for  fear  that  I  should  show 
some  exultation  at  the  news.  There  was 
now  no  doubt  but  that  we  were  on  the 
right  track. 

My  friend  made  no  immediate  response 
to  the  landlord's  words,  but  halted  in  the 
middle  of  the  room  as  though  he  were 
listening  to  what  was  going  on  overhead. 
The  men  were  evidently  dressing.  Sud- 
denly he  turned. 

"  This  is  our  chance,"  he  said  in  a 
whisper  to  me ;  then  to  the  landlord,  "  I 
h»ve  some  business  with  the  gentlemen 
above.  I  am  quite  sure  they  are  the 
ones.  Will  you  kindly  show  me  to  their 
door.  Our  breakfast  can  wait." 

Not  only  was  our  host  surprised,  but 
he  seemed  little  inclined  to  fall  in  with 
Hartzheim's  wishes.  I  saw  his  eyes  move 
furtively,  as  though  he  either  thought  of 
making  a  dash  from  the  room,  or  of  call- 
ing some  one  to  his  assistance.  But 
Hartzheim's  manner  changed,  as  it  could 


262  A  Man-at-Arms 

on  occasion,  from  the  blandly  agreeable  to 
the  bristling  and  ferocious. 

"You  heard  me,"  he  roared;  "by  heaven, 
be  quick,  or  you  go  for  a  morning  bath 
off  the  quay  yonder  !  " 

The  man's  knees  began  to  shake. 

"  Certainly,  certainly,"  he  stammered  ; 
"  I  did  not  quite  understand,  you  were 
so  sudden." 

"You  had  best  watch  the  window, 
Luigi,"  said  my  friend,  as  he  followed 
our  now  obliging  host. 

From  my  post  without  I  heard  them 
ascend  the  stairs,  and  then  came  Hartz- 
heim's  knock  upon  the  door,  which  was 
followed  by  a  parley  of  some  length. 
Presently  the  shutters  above  were  un- 
fastened, and  a  pair  of  eyes  looked  down 
at  me,  but  were  hurriedly  withdrawn. 
After  a  silence  of  considerable  duration 
I  heard  Hartzheim's  summons  anew,  this 
time  more  emphatic  than  before,  and  I 
judged  that  instead  of  his  knuckles  he 
was  using  his  sword  hilt.  Directly  there 
was  the  clatter  of  hurriedly  descending 
feet.  I  rushed  within  just  in  time  to 


The  Encounter  at  Como         263 

arrest  the  steps  of  the  landlord,  who  was 
bolting  toward  the  rear  entrance  of  the 
inn,  evidently  bent  upon  going  in  search 
of  some  of  the  town  authorities.  I  let 
him  see  the  edge  of  my  bare  blade,  and 
he  began  to  whimper  like  a  whipped  cur. 

"  Listen  ! "  cried  I,  still  gripping  him 
by  the  collar.  "  Not  a  glimpse  of  an 
augustal  will  you  get  for  that  fine  break- 
fast that  is  cooling  if  you  try  to  thwart 
us  further ;  but  if  you  are  quiet,  we  will 
see  that  you  have  triple  pay." 

"  But  the  reputation  of  my  house  !  " 

"  Rubbish  !  "  said  I ;  "  there  is  no  one 
abroad  at  this  hour,  and  we  mean  no 
harm  to  the  troopers  above.  We  merely 
wish  to  assure  ourselves  that  they  will  not 
harm  us." 

The  promise  of  so  abundant  a  recom- 
pense for  his  cookery  quite  won  him  over; 
but  I  had  done  with  my  little  interview 
none  too  soon,  for  as  I  released  him  there 
rang  out  a  shout  for  aid  from  Hartzheim. 
With  my  drawn  weapon  in  hand  I  sprang 
into  the  hallway.  As  I  did  so  there  came 
the  fierce  clash  of  steel  from  above,  and 


264  A  Man-at-Arms 

up  the  stairs  I  flew  in  hot-footed  haste. 
I  made  out  three  forms,  in  the  dim  light, 
in  one  corner  of  the  broad  landing,  my 
friend  with  his  back  to  the  wall  calmly 
beating  off  the  vicious  attack  of  two 
men. 

"Turn  !  "  cried  I,  pricking  one  of  them 
upon  the  buttock,  whereat  he  wheeled 
about  with  a  snort  of  rage,  and  charged 
upon  me  like  a  bull. 

"  Disarm  your  man,"  called  Hartzheim 
to  me,  and  I  engaged  my  antagonist 
with  that  intent.  While  he  who  faced 
me  was  a  good  swordsman  as  troopers 
go,  he  knew  none  of  the  fine  arts  of 
fence  in  which  I  had  taken  so  much 
pains  to  perfect  myself.  I  thought  I 
should  be  able  to  effect  my  end  without 
letting  him  feel  my  point,  but  he  had  a 
tenacious  grip,  and,  moreover,  knew  what 
I  was  trying  to  do.  I  heard  the  weapon 
of  Hartzheim's  adversary  fall  with  a  ring- 
ing vibration  upon  the  floor,  and,  deter- 
mining not  to  keep  my  friend  long  waiting, 
I  practised  a  little  feint  which  a  skilful 
Frenchman  had  taught  me,  ripped  up 


The  Encounter  at  Como         265 

my  opponent's  sword-arm,  and  had  him 
wholly  at  my  mercy. 

"  We  will  go  in  here,"  said  Hartzheim, 
pointing  to  the  open  door  of  the  room 
which  the  two  men  had  occupied. 

At  my  friend's  bidding  the  two  dis- 
armed troopers  passed  into  the  apartment, 
and  we  followed  them,  having  first  secured 
their  swords  and  forced  them  to  surrender 
their  daggers.  From  their  faces  I  saw 
that  they  were  Germans,  and  from  their 
garb  that  they  belonged  to  the  company  in 
which  von  Ettergarde  was  an  officer. 

"  We  regret  putting  you  to  any  incon- 
venience, comrades,"  said  Hartzheim,  "but 
we  shall  have  to  ask  you  to  change  clothes 
with  us,  and  then  we  shall  wish  you  to 
answer  a  few  questions.  You  will  of 
course  see  the  folly  of  refusing." 

The  men  made  no  reply. 

"  Come,"  said  my  friend,  "  bestir  your- 
selves. We  have  no  time  to  spare." 

Sullenly  the  troopers  began  to  divest 
themselves  of  their  apparel,  and  soon  the 
change  was  effected,  we  having,  during 
the  process,  bound  up  the  arm  of  the  one 


266  A  Man-at-Arms 

whom  I  had  wounded,  his  hurt  proving 
to  be  quite  an  ugly  cut.  Hartzheim's  new 
garb  suited  him  well,  but  mine  was  not 
just  to  my  liking,  the  hose  being  some- 
what too  ample.  However,  I  knew  that 
the  change  was  part  of  a  plan  my  friend 
had  in  mind,  and  it  did  not  enter  my  head 
to  demur. 

"  Now,"  said  Hartzheim,  after  the  read- 
justment in  dress  had  been  completed, 
"  suppose  you  tell  us  under  whose  orders 
you  are  acting." 

"  Von  Ettergarde's,"  said  one,  without 
hesitation. 

"  And  how  many  men  are  there  at  the 
tower  ?  " 

"  Eight,  counting  the  keeper  and  his 
assistant." 

"  You  were  to  go  on  to-day  with  pro- 
visions, I  understand.  Where  is  your 
boat  ?  " 

"  Yonder  at  the  quay." 

"  And  the  provisions  ?  " 

"  Were  to  be  put  on  board  this  morn- 
ing." 

"  At  what  hour  were  you  to  start  ?  " 


The  Encounter  at  Como         267 

"  By  noon,  if  the  wind  favored." 

"  Good  !  we  will  give  you  the  pleasure 
of  our  company." 

The  troopers  made  such  wry  faces  at 
this  information  that  both  Hartzheim  and 
I  shouted  with  laughter. 

"  I  fear  you  do  not  appreciate  the 
honor  we  are  doing  you,"my  friend  said, — 
a  bit  of  pleasantry  which  was  quite  lost 
upon  them. 

Hartzheim  remained  to  guard  our  pris- 
oners while  I  went  below  and  breakfasted, 
returning  to  allow  him  to  satisfy  his  hun- 
ger. Then,  when  the  troopers  had  been 
fed,  we  fastened  their  feet  and  hands  se- 
curely, and  set  Galbo  to  watch  over  them 
while  we  caught  a  few  hours  of  sleep, 
bidding  my  friend's  man  call  us  if  his 
charges  attempted  to  move  or  make  an 
outcry.  Our  liberality  had  quite  won  over 
the  landlord,  who  was  now  eager  to  meet 
our  lightest  wish,  so  we  stretched  our- 
selves out  with  the  feeling  that  all  was 
going  well. 

I  dropped  straightway  into  a  dream 
in  which,  single-handed,  I  rescued  Angela 


268  A  Man-at-Arms 

Canaro  from  a  dozen  men-at-arms,  and 
bore  her,  strange  to  say,  not  to  my  home 
in  Padua,  but  to  my  father's  house  in 
Pavia,  where  my  father  appeared  at  the 
door  and  kissed  her  hand,  leading  her  up 
the  staircase  to  the  grand  hall ;  there,  as 
I  looked  about  for  the  lowering  counte- 
nance of  my  step-mother,  a  beautiful  lady 
came  forward  and  took  my  beloved  in  her 
arms,  saying,  "  I  am  Luigi's  mother,  and 
will  love  you  because  you  love  him." 

It  was  not  far  from  the  stroke  of  noon 
when  Galbo  came  to  awaken  us ;  and  both 
of  us  rose,  alert  for  action.  Repairing  to 
the  quay,  we  found  the  boat  which  the 
troopers  had  pointed  out  to  us,  prepared 
to  start  on  a  moment's  notice. 

"  Who  hired  you,  my  men  ? "  said 
Hartzheim  to  the  four  sailors  who  were 
lounging  upon  the  thwarts. 

"  A  Signore  who  went  up  the  lake 
yesterday,"  answered  one  of  them. 

"  And  he  paid  you  ?  " 

"  No ;  he  is  to  pay  us  when  we  deliver 
the  cargo." 

"  Well,  if  you  will  do  as  the  Signore 


The  Encounter  at  Como         269 

here  and  I  wish  you  to,  and  ask  no  ques- 
tions, we  will  double  the  sum  offered 
you,  and  perhaps  give  you  further  em- 
ployment after  this  present  voyage  is 
over." 

The  four  men  looked  at  one  another 
an  instant.  For  further  consultation  there 
seemed  to  be  no  need. 

"  Agreed !  Signore,"  they  cried  in  a 
chorus. 

"  Very  good,"  said  Hartzheim.  "  Re- 
member you  are  to  obey  us,  and  there  are 
to  be  no  questions  asked." 

"We  will  remember.    And  the  money?" 

"  That  will  be  forthcoming,  you  need 
have  no  fear.  Here  is  earnest  of  full  pay- 
ment," and  Hartzheim  dropped  a  gold 
piece  into  the  spokesman's  palm. 

When  we  returned  to  the  inn,  we  found 
Galbo  had  saddled  the  horses  and  was  pre- 
pared to  start.  We  had  decided  that  it 
would  be  best  to  send  him  with  the  horses 
across  the  country  to  Lecco  to  await  our 
coming  there  at  an  inn  of  which  Hartzheim 
knew.  Furthermore,  my  friend  had  given 
his  man  orders  to  procure  two  additional 


2 jo  A  Man-at-Arms 

steeds ;  for,  if  our  quest  were  successful, 
our  party  would  number  five  when  we  set 
out  from  Lecco  for  Padua,  which  was  to 
be  our  destination.  Although  the  Lord 
of  Padua  had  entered  into  an  alliance  with 
the  Visconti,  I  knew  well  that  there  was 
nothing  to  be  feared  from  the  latter  when 
once  we  were  within  the  walls  of  the  city 
ruled  by  Francesco  da  Carrara. 

Having  seen  Galbo  depart,  we  haled 
forth  our  prisoners.  Fastening  them  to- 
gether arm  to  arm,  and  threatening  them 
with  a  taste  of  bare  steel  if  they  attempted 
to  escape,  or  made  any  outcry,  we  marched 
them  before  us  to  the  quay  and  saw  them 
safely  bestowed  in  a  clear  space  in  the  bow 
of  the  boat.  There  was  a  group  of  curious 
on-lookers,  but  no  one  ventured  to  inter- 
fere. Such  spectacles  were  not  uncommon, 
and  our  garb  gave  us  authority  in  the  public 
mind.  One  of  the  town  watch  approached, 
and  to  satisfy  his  unspoken  curiosity 
Hartzheim  told  him  we  were  under  orders 
from  his  Lordship,  the  Visconti,  whereat 
with  a  few  commonplace  remarks  he  con- 
tinued on  his  way.  I  did  not  know  but 


The  Encounter  at  Como         271 

that  the  troopers  might  appeal  to  him  for 
aid,  but  with  so  wholesome  a  dread  had 
my  friend  inspired  them  that  they  did  not 
open  their  lips.  Evidently  they  thought  it 
best  to  bide  their  time,  meditating  perhaps 
a  break  for  freedom  when  we  had  reached 
the  end  of  the  voyage  and  they  were  near 
their  comrades.  Had  they  surmised  our 
intentions  in  regard  to  them,  possibly  we 
should  have  encountered  something  other 
than  tame  submission. 

The  boatmen  now  adjusted  the  long 
oars  with  which  our  little  craft  was  fitted, 
and  pulled  a  short  distance  out  into  the 
bay,  where  the  broad  sail  was  run  up.  A 
gust  filled  this,  the  water  began  to  ripple 
with  a  pleasant  murmur  against  the  prow, 
the  city  receded,  and  soon,  rounding  a 
headland,  the  full  beauty  of  this  wonderful 
lake  broke  upon  me,  the  grand  mountains, 
the  luxuriantly  wooded  shores,  and  the 
liquid  expanse  in  which  both  were  mir- 
rored and  over  which  we  glided  as  though 
sailing  some  paradisial  lake  of  dream. 


Chapter  XVIII 
Up  the  Lake 

I  HAD  one  great  consolation  as  I  sat 
in  the  shadow  of  the  sail  and  watched 
the  lovely  panorama  of  the  shores  unfold 
and  slip  by.  I  drew  my  solace  from  the 
words  of  the  innkeeper  at  Como,  who  had 
spoken  of  Angela  and  her  father  as  a  lord 
and  his  lady  going  to  their  castle.  It  was 
evident,  from  the  way  he  regarded  them, 
that  they  had  been  treated  with  considera- 
tion on  their  journey  from  Milan.  This 
led  me  to  hope  that  they  would  meet  with 
no  ill  usage  before  we  could  effect  their 
rescue.  I  was  considerably  puzzled  over 
what  might  be  the  Visconti's  ultimate  in- 
tention in  regard  to  his  prisoners,  whether 
he  proposed  to  detain  them  only  until  he 
could  bend  Vincenzo  Canaro  to  his  will, 
272 


Up  the  Lake  273 

or  whether  it  was  his  purpose  to  keep 
them  confined  either  for  a  brief  or  for  a 
considerable  period,  and  then  let  it  appear 
that  they  had  died  a  natural  death  when 
in  reality  some  subtly  administered  poison 
was  responsible  for  their  taking  off.  I 
concluded,  after  long  meditation,  that  they 
were  in  no  immediate  danger,  and  that 
von  Ettergarde's  murderous  assault  on 
Signor  Canaro  in  the  Via  San  Lorenzo  had 
not  been  a  part  of  the  original  plan,  but 
was  suddenly  inspired  by  the  fact  that  he 
saw  the  man  whom  he  had  been  ordered 
to  seize  was  likely  to  escape  from  his 
clutches. 

The  breeze  continued  fair,  and  our 
progress  was  such  that  Hartzheim  and  I 
agreed  we  were  likely  to  reach  our  desti- 
nation long  before  it  was  desirable ;  so 
beyond  Nesso,  yet  before  we  reached  the 
promontory  of  La  Cavagnola,  we  put  into 
a  little  bay  where  a  mountain  stream 
emptied,  coming  down  from  the  heights  of 
Monte  Colmenacco.  Above  us  the  chest- 
nut groves  were  feathery  with  fragrant 
flowers,  while  about  us  were  laurel  copses 


274  A   Man-at-Arms 

in  which  the  birds  ever  and  anon  broke 
out  in  a  silvery  intermezzo. 

How  restful  it  was,  after  the  stress  of 
the  night  and  morning,  to  relax  our  tense 
nerves  for  a  little  in  that  placid  seclusion, 
and  watch  the  sun  slowly  dip  toward  the 
crest  of  the  mountain-chain !  After  a 
little  a  roseate  light  was  shed  over  the 
water,  and,  bathed  in  the  flood  of  the 
afterglow,  we  began  to  make  preparation 
for  getting  under  way  again. 

"  Comrades,"  said  Hartzheim  to  the 
two  troopers,  who  had  preserved  a  moody 
silence  during  the  whole  of  our  tarry,  "  I 
regret  that  we  must  part  company,  but 
such  is  the  present  necessity.  You  will 
kindly  step  on  shore.  If  you  object  to 
the  grass  for  a  bed  and  the  laurel  boughs 
for  a  roof,  there  is  Nesso  a  few  miles 
back,  where  doubtless  there  are  lodgings 
a-plenty." 

So  surprised  were  our  prisoners  that 
for  a  moment  they  sat  gazing  at  my 
friend  incredulously,  scarce  believing  their 
ears.  The  two  sailors  upon  the  beach,  who 
had  braced  themselves  to  push  off  the 


Up  the  Lake  275 

boat,  relaxed  their  bodies  and  stepped 
back  so  that  the  troopers  might  land.  A 
dumb  rage  kindled  in  the  eyes  of  these 
men.  They  looked  from  one  to  the  other 
of  us  and  found  us  smiling ;  the  boatmen, 
too,  were  grinning  amusedly.  They  were 
unarmed,  and  knew  that  they  must  obey, 
but  when  they  were  once  on  shore,  beyond 
our  reach,  and  the  boat  was  again  floated, 
they  flung  curses  long  and  loud  at  us 
across  the  water,  vowing  vengeance  if  they 
had  to  follow  us  to  the  ends  of  the  earth. 

"  Their  tempers  will  be  somewhat 
cooled  by  morning,"  said  Hartzheim, 
"and  in  any  event  I  trust  by  that  time 
we  shall  be  far  away." 

The  wind  died  with  the  going  down  of 
the  sun,  so  the  sail  was  hauled  in  and  the 
long  oars  adjusted.  There  was  a  music 
to  me  in  their  rise  and  dip,  they  were 
lifted  so  evenly  and  fell  in  such  perfect 
unison  ;  and  I  heard  Hartzheim,  moved, 
too,  by  the  sense  of  harmony  above  and 
about  us,  humming  to  himself  some  song 
of  his  northland  home.  Thus  for  a  brief 
space  we  were  removed,  even  as  we  had 


ij6  A  Man-at-Arms 

been  that  afternoon  in  the  little  bay  girt 
by  the  shining  laurels,  from  the  bitter 
rancors  of  the  world. 

By  and  by  we  passed  the  promontory 
that  juts  into  the  lake  where  the  Como 
and  Lecco  arms  join,  and  not  long  after- 
ward one  of  the  boatmen  pointed  out  to 
us  some  lights  that  twinkled  through  the 
dusk  a  short  distance  ahead,  upon  the 
right. 

"  That  is  the  landing-place,  Signori," 
said  he,  "  and  there,"  lifting  his  finger 
to  other  lights  far  up  the  impending 
slope,  "  is  the  village  of  Vezio  and  the 
tower." 

Our  destination  was  at  hand.  As  I 
raised  my  eyes  to  the  gleaming  points 
beaconing  through  the  night  from  the 
mountain  side,  my  heart  went  out  up  the 
path  of  the  rays  to  the  prison  of  my 
beloved,  and  I  longed  to  be  ashore  strik- 
ing a  bold  blow  for  her  release. 

The  situation  demanded  immediate  ac- 
tion. Delay  would  be  fatal  to  our  hopes. 
The  men  whom  we  had  left  behind  near 
Nesso  would  find  means  of  continuing  their 


Up  the  Lake  277 

journey  on  the  morrow,  and  indeed  by 
that  time  word  of  warning  might  come  to 
von  Ettergarde  from  Milan.  But  now 
by  some  piece  of  good  fortune  we  might 
take  the  captors  of  Signor  Canaro  and 
his  daughter  unaware,  and  either  by  a 
ruse,  or  by  a  sudden  and  unexpected 
stroke,  effect  our  end.  To  plan,  however, 
was  impossible  until  we  had  at  least  in  a 
measure  reconnoitred. 

As  we  turned  into  the  small  harbor 
formed  by  a  stream  called  the  Esino,  which 
here  debouches,  we  noted  two  men  close 
to  the  water's  edge  who  seemed  to  be 
watching  us  intently.  Presently  one  of 
them  hailed  us. 

"  Are  you  from  Como  ?  "  he  called. 

"Yes,  Signore,"  answered  one  of  the 
boatmen. 

"Is  it  you,  Mandell  and  Pfander  ? " 
cried  the  speaker. 

"  No,"  said  Hartzheim,  with  ready 
tongue ;  "  Mandell  and  Pfander  returned 
to  Milan.  We  have  come  on  in  their 
stead  with  orders  from  his  Lordship  to 
the  officer  in  command  here." 


278  A  Man-at-Arms 

We  could  see  that  they  were  surprised 
at  this,  for  we  had  now  drawn  quite  near 
the  stone  wall  of  the  place  of  landing. 
They  conferred  a  moment,  then  one  of 
them  said,  — 

"  Who  are  you  ?  We  don't  recognize 
your  voice." 

"  Hartzheim,"  answered  my  friend ; 
"  and  Stainer  is  with  me,"  he  added,  giv- 
ing me  the  name  of  one  of  the  men  in 
his  own  command. 

Who  Hartzheim  was  they  knew  well, 
and  they  were  apparently  satisfied,  for 
they  waited  for  the  boat  to  draw  up  along- 
side the  rude  quay. 

"  We  must  seize  these  fellows,"  said 
my  companion,  in  a  low  tone,  "  or  they 
may  make  trouble  for  us.  With  them 
out  of  the  way  there  will  be  two  less  to 
deal  with  at  the  tower." 

The  prow  of  the  boat  touched  the  wall, 
and  with  a  rope  in  hand  one  of  the  sailors 
sprang  to  land,  casting  the  line  which  he 
held  around  a  post  firmly  set  in  the  earth. 
The  other  sailors  were  busy  unshipping 
their  oars,  and  when  two  of  them  went 


Up  the  Lake  279 

toward  the  bow  Hartzheim  called  to  the 
men  above, — 

"  Come  down  and  lend  us  a  hand  with 
these  stores.  We  had  best  put  them 
ashore  ourselves." 

They  complied  without  hesitation  or 
demur.  It  was  several  feet  from  the  quay 
to  the  boat,  and  before  the  unsuspecting 
troopers  had  recovered  from  the  necessary 
spring  my  friend  and  I  had  leaped  upon 
them.  Hartzheim  bore  his  man  down 
without  difficulty,  choking  him  into  speedy 
submission,  but  I  was  hardly  so  fortunate. 
My  strength  was  far  from  being  equal  to 
that  of  my  comrade,  and  it  proved  that 
my  antagonist  was  the  stouter  of  the  two 
troopers.  To  and  fro  we  struggled,  each 
endeavoring  to  throw  the  other  to  the  bot- 
tom of  the  boat.  I  had  the  advantage  in 
the  hold,  else  had  it  speedily  gone  ill 
with  me;  yet  in  spite  of  this,  strive  as 
I  would,  I  could  not  force  my  adversary 
down.  I  felt  him  fumbling  for  his  dag- 
ger, and  failing  in  that  he  tried  to  tear  me 
from  him  and  fling  me  into  the  lake. 
But  I  clung  to  him  like  a  leech,  and 


280  A  Man-at-Arms 

finally,  getting  the  wall  as  a  prop  for  my 
back,  I  locked  one  leg  behind  him,  threw 
my  whole  weight  against  him,  and  over  we 
went  together,  his  head  in  the  descent 
striking  upon  one  of  the  thwarts  with 
tremendous  force.  His  hold  upon  me 
relaxed,  and  he  sank  into  a  limp  heap, 
unconscious. 

All  this  struggle  went  on  without  an 
outcry,  and  was  witnessed  only  by  the 
four  boatmen,  who  offered  neither  to  assist 
nor  to  restrain  us.  When  our  captives 
had  been  secured  and  gagged,  and  placed 
in  the  bow,  where  their  bodies  were  well- 
nigh  hidden  by  a  piece  of  sail-cloth,  we 
handed  the  sailors  their  promised  wage. 
Now,  however,  when  we  proposed  to  hire 
them  further,  they  demurred,  and  we  saw 
that  they  were  inclined  to  be  frightened  at 
what  they  had  done,  feeling  perhaps  that 
they  might  be  implicated  in  our  somewhat 
high-handed  proceedings. 

"  These  men,  Signori,  and  those  others, 
are  they  not  in  the  employ  of  his  Lord- 
ship of  Milan  ? "  asked  one  of  them. 
"  We  know  not  what  you  aim  to  do,  but 


Up  the  Lake  281 

truly  it  will  go  hard  with  us  if  his  Lord- 
ship discovers  it  was  our  boat  that  brought 
you  hither." 

I  saw  what  might  be  the  sole  chance  of 
escape,  were  the  rescue  safely  effected,  slip- 
ping away  from  us. 

"  Your  fears  are  but  idle ! "  I  cried. 
"  We,  too,  are  in  his  Lordship's  employ, 
and  are  striving  to  set  free  a  Signore  and 
his  daughter  who  have  been  wrongfully 
confined  up  yonder  in  the  tower.  If  you 
will  agree  to  take  us  to  Lecco  to-night, 
your  pockets  shall  be  so  heavy  with  gold 
that  not  one  of  you  will  need  to  work 
again  for  a  year." 

I  realized  that  plain  speaking  alone 
would  win  them  wholly  to  our  side,  and 
my  open  statement  of  the  case  had  the 
desired  effect ;  for  after  a  short  conference 
their  spokesman  announced  that  they 
would  run  the  risk  and  place  their  boat  at 
our  disposal.  Accordingly,  having  bidden 
them  lighten  the  craft  of  most  of  the  pro- 
visions and  await  us  where  they  were,  we 
hastened  to  mount  the  quay. 

"We  must  find  a  guide,"  said  my  friend. 


282  A  Man-at-Arms 

"  I  would  that  we  might  chance  upon 
some  sturdy  fellow  who  would  lend  us  the 
aid  of- his  stout  arm  on  a  pinch." 

Even  as  Hartzheim  spoke,  we  heard  a 
voice  trolling  out  a  rollicking  stave,  — 

"  O  a  trooper's  life,  O  a  trooper's  life, 

Is  the  life  that's  fair  and  free ! 
In  the  prick  o'  the  press,  in  the  stress  o'  the 

strife, 
With  his  own  true   blade  by   his  side  for   a 

wife,  — 
O  a  trooper's  life  for  me  !  " 

Then  out  of  the  shadow  there  strode  a 
burly  form. 

"  Ho,  comrade  !  "  called  Hartzheim, 
"though  I  know  you  not,  I'll  wager  a  florin 
that  you  have  couched  a  lance  or  trailed  a 
pike  at  the  wars  !  Come,  drink  with  us  a 
cup  to  the  peace  of  the  soul  of  the  last 
knave  you  spitted." 

"That  I  would  gladly,  friends,"  said 
the  man,  approaching  us,  "  were  I  not  just 
recovered  from  a  wound,  and  hence  forced 
to  be  most  abstemious  lest  the  pestilent 
fever  take  hold  on  me  again." 


Up  the  Lake  283 

"  I  was  quite  right  about  the  wars, 
then  !  "  said  Hartzheim. 

"  You  were,  in  truth,"  said  the  man, 
who  proved  to  be  a  seemly  looking  fellow, 
perhaps  ten  years  my  senior.  There  was 
a  smack  of  importance  in  his  manner,  but 
his  air  of  bravado  was  not  offensive  and 
was  explained  later  when  we  discovered 
that  this  was  his  home  and  birthplace. 
"A  dozen  years,"  he  exclaimed,  "have 
I  worn  a  morion  !  " 

"  Under  what  lord  or  lords,  if  the 
question  give  no  offence  ?  " 

"None,  i'  faith.  Can  Signorio  and 
Antonio  della  Scala  have  been  my 
masters.  You  serve  the  Visconti,  by 
your  dress.  Erelong  we  may  be  at  one 
another's  throats,  if  the  jade,  Rumor,  has 
it  right;  for  already  when  I  left  Verona, 
three  weeks  since,  it  was  said  that  Gian 
Galeazzo  had  joined  Francesco  da  Carrara 
against  the  Lord  of  Verona." 

"  Rumor  in  this  case  speaks  truly,  but 
there  is  small  likelihood  that  the  clash  of 
arms  will  find  us  under  the  banner  of 
the  Visconti.  My  friend  here  has  little 


284  A  Man-at-Arms 

cause  to  love  him,  and  I  am  wholly  of 
his  mind." 

"  Ah,  haply  then  you  will  join  me !  I 
go  back  to  Verona  in  a  few  days.  This 
is  my  old  home,  and  I  am  here  recruiting 
from  a  wound  a  cursed  Paduan  pikeman 
gave  me.  I  can  assure  you  of  a  warm 
welcome  by  the  Adige,  my  master  being 
eager  to  add  to  his  following." 

"  It  is  most  gracious  of  you  to  suggest 
it,  but  we  have  that  on  hand  which  will,  I 
fear,  prevent  us  from  joining  you." 

I  began  now  to  see  toward  what  Hartz- 
heim  was  leading. 

"  Some  private  affair,  no  doubt,"  said 
the  follower  of  Antonio  della  Scala. 

"  Yes,"  answered  my  friend ;  "  it  is  of 
that  nature,  and  I  do  not  mind  telling 
you  that  if  you  would  strike  a  blow  at 
your  master's  enemy,  the  Visconti,  you 
could  not  do  so  more  easily  than  by  aiding 
us  for  an  hour." 

"  For  an  hour  !  " 

"  If  we  succeed,  we  shall  not  be  longer 
than  that.  Our  little  affair  calls  us  up 
yonder  to  the  tower." 


Up  the  Lake  285 

"  Ah,  a  lord  and  lady  arrived  yesterday  ! 
I  saw  them  land.  They  are  prisoners, 
perhaps  ? " 

"  Exactly  !  and  we  propose  to  rescue 
them  ;  but  we  need  a  guide,  a  decoy,  one 
who  would  be  willing  to  make  some  sort 
of  an  outcry,  and  attract  the  attention  of 
those  guarding  them." 

"  You  may  command  me  ! "  cried  the 
man.  "  I  am  wholly  at  your  service. 
My  sword  has  been  rusting  for  days,  and 
my  muscles  are  beginning  to  ache  from 
sloth.  As  for  the  wound,  it  must  stand 
the  test  some  time,  and  why  not  now  ? " 

"  But  we  look  to  do  the  fighting !  "  I 
exclaimed.  "  We  could  not  think  of  ask- 
ing a  man  just  recovering  from  a  wound 
to  endanger  himself." 

"  My  friend  is  quite  right,"  said  Hartz- 
heim.  "  If  you  will  act  as  guide  and 
decoy,  we  will  manage  to  take  care  of 
the  rest." 

"  Well,"  said  our  obliging  ally,  whose 
name  we  discovered  to  be  Leo  Berni,  "  I 
flatter  myself  that  I  can  strike  a  very 
pretty  blow,  and  if  you  find  that  you  need 


286  A  Man-at-Arms 

my  sword,  I  beg  that  you  will  not  hesitate 
to  call  on  me." 

We  thanked  him  most  heartily  for  the 
chivalrous  spirit  which  he  manifested,  and 
without  delay,  following  closely  in  his 
footsteps,  struck  into  a  sharply  ascending 
path,  which  at  first  wound  along  the  right 
bank  of  the  Val  d'  Esino,  but  finally 
mounted  and  traversed  the  crest  of  the 
ridge. 


Chapter  XIX 
The  Tower  of  Vezio 

THE  darkness  was  intense,  for  the 
night  had  become  cloudy,  and  had 
our  guide  not  been  perfectly  familiar  with 
the  pathway,  it  would  have  been  a  miracle 
had  we  reached  Vezio  in  safety.  There 
were  barriers  to  be  avoided,  and  we 
passed  more  than  one  spot  where  a  mis- 
step meant  a  broken  arm  or  leg,  if  not 
a  broken  neck.  After  what  seemed  an 
interminable  and  arduous  scramble,  the 
barking  of  a  dog  told  us  that  we  were  not 
far  from  the  village  which  stood  near  the 
tower.  Presently  the  path  widened,  and 
we  distinguished  the  dark  outline  of 
houses  with  lights  burning  in  a  few  of  the 
upper  windows.  The  gloom  below,  how- 
ever, was  scarcely  perceptibly  broken,  and 
we  still  had  to  grope  our  way  painfully. 
287 


288  A  Man-at-Arms 

"  I  thought  it  might  be  well  to  avoid 
the  main  street,"  said  our  guide,  "  so  I 
have  chosen  this  route,  which  is  the  short- 
est, though  far  from  pleasant.  You  had 
best  keep  close  to  me." 

As  we  passed  between  the  houses,  the 
dank  air  of  open  cellars  cast  a  chill  upon 
us,  while  the  reeking  breath  of  the  gutters 
seemed  likely  to  choke  us  with  its  foulness. 
We  stumbled  over  heaps  of  garbage,  twice 
blundered  against  tipsy  foot-farers,  who 
cursed  us  thickly,  and  at  length  won  an 
open  space  from  which  we  could  clearly 
distinguish  the  massive  bulk  and  crenel- 
ated battlements  of  the  tower.  In  front 
of  it  there  seemed  to  be  a  sort  of  platform 
upon  which  a  fire  had  evidently  been 
kindled,  for  a  fitful  light  radiated  from  the 
spot  which  caused  the  walls  to  stand  out 
against  the  inky  background  of  the  night. 

"  The  ordinary  approach  to  the  tower 
is  upon  the  right,  but  this  will  best  serve 
your  present  purpose,"  said  Berni,  leading 
us  into  a  dip  where  grew  some  gnarled 
trunks  which  we  made  out  to  be  olive 
trees. 


The  Tower  of  Vezio  289 

Soon  we  were  at  the  base  of  a  sort  of 
terrace,  and  could  hear  the  murmur  of 
voices.  Bidding  us  wait  where  we  were 
for  a  brief  space,  our  guide  slipped  away 
into  the  darkness.  Between  Hartzheim 
and  myself  no  word  was  spoken.  With 
his  head  craned  to  one  side  my  friend 
listened  intently  for  a  sign  of  Berni's  re- 
turn, while  I  kept  my  eyes  fixed  upon  the 
small  dark  windows  of  the  tower,  which 
now  loomed  above  us,  wondering  if  from 
any  of  them  Angela  Canaro  were  at  that 
moment  looking  down.  Inspired  by  the 
cheer  of  Hartzheim's  presence,  and  by 
the  singularly  good  fortune  which  had 
attended  our  enterprise  from  the  very 
outset,  up  to  this  time  I  had  allowed  no 
doubt  in  regard  to  our  ultimate  success 
to  enter  my  mind ;  but  now  as  I  gazed  at 
the  gloomy  massiveness  of  my  beloved's 
prison,  and  realized  that,  unless  favored 
by  chance,  six  stout  men  must  be  over- 
come before  she  could  be  set  free,  a 
sudden  fear  seemed  to  clutch  my  heart, 
and  I  thought,  "  What  if  we  should 
fail  ?  " 


290  A  Man-at-Arms 

By  daylight,  amid  familiar  or  plainly  dis- 
cernible surroundings,  most  men  (those, 
that  is,  who  are  worthy  to  be  classed  with 
the  stronger  sex)  can  meet  peril  unmoved, 
or  feel  a  sense  of  exhilaration  in  the  face  of 
danger ;  but  begirt  by  darkness  and  en- 
vironed by  uncertainty,  I  have  heard  old 
soldiers  say  that  their  wonted  calmness 
and  valor  forsook  them.  It  is  with  this 
knowledge  that  I  console  myself  when  I 
recall  my  faint-heartedness  as  I  stood  in 
the  murk  beneath  the  Tower  of  Vezio 
and  awaited  the  return  of  Leo  Berni. 

My  mind,  packed  with  sombre  fore- 
bodings, was  beginning  to  entertain  sus- 
picions of  his  trustworthiness,  when  he 
emerged  before  us  out  of  the  darkness. 

"  If  you  will  come  with  me,"  he  said, 
"  and  step  softly,  you  may  be  able  to  hear 
something  that  will  interest  you.  After 
you  have  listened  you  can  form  your 
plans." 

Hanging  hard  upon  his  footsteps,  we 
skirted  the  base  of  the  terrace,  and 
presently,  having  rounded  a  projection, 
the  reflection  cast  by  the  fire  upon  the 


The  Tower  of  Vezio  291 

platform  showed  us,  a  score  of  paces 
distant,  the  path  of  approach  from  the 
village.  Above,  and  close  at  hand,  we 
heard  voices. 

"  I  will  wait  here,"  said  our  guide.  "  If 
you  are  careful,  you  can  get  within  earshot 
without  being  detected." 

The  slope  of  the  terrace  was  partially 
set  with  a  low  growth  of  laurels,  beneath 
which  the  earth  was  soft.  Dropping  upon 
our  hands  and  knees,  Hartzheim  and  I 
worked  our  way  slowly  upward.  So 
cautious  were  we  that  I  doubt  if  we  made 
a  sound,  and  if  we  did,  it  must  have  been 
lost  in  the  crackling  of  the  flames ;  for 
when  we  reached  the  summit  of  the 
terrace  and  could  peer  over,  the  two  men 
who  sat  upon  the  bench  a  dozen  feet  away 
were  still  intent  on  their  conversation. 
One  of  them  I  made  out  to  be  von 
Ettergarde.  For  a  moment  I  could  not 
catch  what  they  were  saying,  their  backs 
being  turned  toward  us,  so  I  let  my  eyes 
rove  about  the  open  space  in  the  centre 
of  which  the  fire  was  burning.  Why 
this  had  been  kindled  was  now  evident, 


292  A  Man-at-Arms 

a  host  of  spinning  midges  being  visible 
in  the  air  high  above  the  flames.  The 
entrance  to  the  tower  was  situated  in  that 
corner  of  the  building  nearest  the  village 
of  Vezio.  Through  the  open  doorway  I 
could  detect  a  shifting  glimmer  which  told 
me  that  the  room  was  torch-lit.  Two 
men  were  seated  on  the  entrance  thresh- 
old, while  two  others  were  lounging  on 
the  steps  below.  Those  in  the  doorway 
wore  a  different  garb  from  the  others,  who 
were  dressed  like  ourselves,  so  I  concluded 
that  one  must  be  the  keeper  of  the  tower 
and  the  other  his  assistant. 

My  roving  glance  was  arrested  by  von 
Ettergarde's  words. 

"  It  is  agreed  upon,  then,"  I  heard  him 
say.  "  You  will  look  after  the  girl  while 
I  am  gone  to  Milan  to  claim  the  reward 
for  the  little  affair." 

"  Yes,"  answered  the  other,  "  provided 
half  the  money  is  mine." 

"  You  fool,"  cried  von  Ettergarde, 
angrily,  "  how  many  times  must  I  tell  you 
that  the  division  shall  be  equal  !  " 

"  It  is   a  goodly  sum,  and  worth   the 


The  Tower  of  Vezio  293 

risk ;  but  if  the  Visconti  should  discover 
the  deceit,  and  we  should  be  taken,  it 
makes  my  blood  creep  to  think  of  what 
he  would  do  to  us." 

An  exclamation  of  impatience  fell  from 
von  Ettergarde's  lips. 

"  You  faint-hearted  dolt,"  he  cried,  "  can 
you  not  see  that  discovery  is  impossible  ? 
By  Bacchus,  I  would  that  I  had  spoken 
to  one  of  the  others  and  not  to  you  ! " 

"  If  you  will  confide  the  plan  more  fully, 
I  shall  feel  greater  confidence." 

So  evident  was  it  that  some  villany  not 
meditated  even  by  the  Lord  of  Milan  was 
on  foot  that  I  wriggled  a  trifle  nearer,  lest 
any  word  should  escape  my  ears. 

"It  is  to  be  done  to-morrow  night,  as  I 
told  you,"  von  Ettergarde  said,  in  a  most 
matter  of  fact  tone,  "  unless  orders  to  the 
contrary  come  from  Milan.  But  instead 
of  making  way  with  the  girl  after  the 
sleeping  potion  has  been  administered,  she 
shall  not  be  harmed.  I  shall  see  that  an 
extra  dose  of  the  drug  is  given  her  so  she 
will  not  waken  until  she  is  safe  in  the  vault 
of  the  tower.  As  you  and  I  are  to  have 


294  A  Man-at-Arms 

the  affair  in  hand,  no  one  can  discover  the 
deception.  She  will  be  to  all  purposes 
dead,  and  buried  with  her  father.  After 
it  is  all  over,  and  the  others  are  asleep  (I 
shall  manage  to  slip  a  little  something 
into  the  wine  that  will  be  drunk  after  the 
business  is  concluded),  you  and  I  will  steal 
down  to  the  vault,  open  it,  lift  her  out, 
seal  the  place,  and  then  bear  her  to  a 
house  in  the  village  where  I  have  made 
preparations  for  her  to  be  received." 
"  It  certainly  sounds  simple." 
"  Nothing  could  be  simpler  !  And  as 
for  the  rest,  all  you  will  have  to  do  will  be 
to  see  that  she  does  not  escape  from  the 
house  while  I  am  gone.  You  can  feign 
illness,  so  no  one  will  wonder  that  you 
remain  behind.  I  will  hasten  back  to 
Milan  with  the  others,  make  my  report, 
claim  the  reward,  and  then,  as  soon  as 
chance  offers,  escape  from  the  city  and 
return  hither.  You  shall  have  your  share 
of  the  money  and  can  go  where  you  will ; 
as  for  me,  —  well,  that  does  not  matter." 

"Will  you  marry   the   girl?"   said  the 
trooper,  with  a  laugh. 


The  Tower  of  Vezio  295 

"  What  is  that  to  you  ? "  cried  von 
Ettergarde,  with  an  angry  oath,  rising  and 
striding  toward  the  entrance  to  the  tower. 

So  the  wretched  fate  which  the  craft 
and  dastardly  cruelty  of  my  former  master 
had  planned  for  his  helpless  captives  was 
close  at  hand  unless  by  some  stroke  of 
fortune  we  could  intervene  and  thwart 
both  his  murderous  designs  and  von 
Ettergarde's  unscrupulous  intentions.  At 
the  latter  I  was  in  no  whit  surprised,  but 
the  manifest  cold-bloodedness  of  the  Vis- 
conti's  orders  shocked  me,  and  revealed 
to  me  how  wrong  I  had  been  in  allowing 
myself  to  think  that  my  beloved  and  her 
father  were  in  no  immediate  danger.  What 
I  had  heard  wrought  an  instant  change  in 
me.  No  longer  was  I  troubled  by  the 
haunting  dread  with  which  I  had  so  re- 
cently been  assailed.  The  fact  that  dire 
danger  menaced  her  in  whom  all  my  fond- 
est hopes,  all  my  dearest  desires,  were 
bound  up  roused  my  courage  to  its  wonted 
pitch.  It  mattered  not  that  I  was  not 
certain  my  passion  was  returned ;  this 
never  for  a  breathing-space  came  into  my 


296  A  Man-at-Arms 

mind.  A  deed  was  meditated  for  which 
the  annals  of  our  time,  big  with  crime 
though  they  were,  offered  scarce  a  parallel. 
So  long  as  I  could  stir  a  foot  or  lift  a 
hand,  I  determined  to  strive  to  foil 
those  who  were  to  be  the  instruments 
of  its  accomplishment.  For  the  time  I 
put  selfish  motives  entirely  from  my 
thought. 

The  trooper  with  whom  von  Ettergarde 
had  been  conversing  still  remained  seated 
upon  the  bench  muttering  to  himself,  so 
Hartzheim  and  I  were  forced  to  withdraw 
to  the  bottom  of  the  terrace  with  great 
caution.  Reaching  the  spot  where  Berni 
was  awaiting  us,  my  friend  suggested  that 
we  retire  to  a  place  where  we  could  speak 
with  more  freedom  ;  accordingly  we  went 
down  again  among  the  olives. 

"  Part  of  those  men  must  be  somehow 
lured  from  the  entrance  to  the  tower," 
said  I.  "  Then  if  we  make  a  sudden  dash, 
perchance  we  can  win  the  door,  and  that, 
if  once  won,  might  easily  be  held  against 
all  six." 

"  I    think    it   can    be    managed,"    said 


The  Tower  of  Vezio  297 

Hartzheim,  "  if  our  friend  here  will  play 
his  part  as  he  agreed." 

"  You  have  but  to  tell  me  what  you 
wish,"  said  Berni,  "  and  it  shall  be  done." 

"  Good  !  "  cried  my  friend.  "  This, 
then,  strikes  me  as  being  the  most  feasible 
plan.  After  you  have  conducted  us  to 
the  base  of  the  terrace  at  the  point  yonder 
just  opposite  where  the  path  from  the  vil- 
lage approaches,  do  you  retrace  your  steps 
and  take  up  your  position  somewhere 
near  the  path  and  not  very  far  from  the 
tower.  There  do  you  set  up  a  great  out- 
cry for  help  as  though  you  were  being 
murdered,  and  shout,  '  Von  Ettergarde  ! 
von  Ettergarde ! '  That  is  the  name  of 
the  officer  in  command.  It  is  more  than 
likely  that  at  least  a  part  of  the  troopers 
will  rush  toward  you,  thinking  you  are 
one  of.  their  comrades,  for  two  of  their 
number  have  gone  down  to  the  lake  and 
are  undoubtedly  expected  back  at  any 
moment,  though  we  have  taken  the  neces- 
sary precautions  to  prevent  their  inoppor- 
tune appearance.  If  you  are  successful  in 
creating  this  little  diversion,  we  shall  not 


298  A  Man-at-Arms 

be  slow  in  seizing  upon  the  most  favora- 
ble chance  that  offers,  and  in  making  a 
dash  for  the  doorway  of  the  tower." 

"  If  the  troopers  of  the  Visconti  were 
stone  deaf,  I  would  draw  them  away  from 
the  tower  by  my  cries,"  exclaimed  Berni, 
with  a  chuckle. 

"  Some  of  the  village  folk  may  be 
roused  and  come  hither  to  complicate 
matters,"  said  Hartzheim,  "  but  we  shall 
have  to  take  that  risk." 

Berni  now  led  us  to  the  left  over  a  piece 
of  rough  ground,  and  posted  us  where  we 
were  in  no  danger  of  being  observed,  but 
where,  by  lifting  our  heads,  we  could  see 
everything  that  took  place  in  front  of  the 
tower. 

"  You  will  not  have  long  to  wait,"  he 
said,  as  he  left  us. 

I  was  heartily  thankful  for  this  assur- 
ance, since  now  that  affairs  were  approach- 
ing a  crisis  I  was  exceedingly  loath  to  lie 
supine  in  concealment.  Hartzheim  with 
his  usual  imperturbability  crouched  by  my 
side,  occasionally  running  his  finger  along 
the  edge  of  his  sword,  as  though  to  satisfy 


The  Tower  of  Vezio  299 

himself  that  it  was  in  a  fit  condition  to  do 
good  execution.  One  of  the  men  who 
had  been  seated  in  the  doorway  of  the 
tower  had  gone  within.  Presently  he 
reappeared,  bearing  a  flagon  and  some 
drinking-cups.  These  he  distributed  and 
proceeded  to  fill.  The  trooper  who  had 
agreed  to  assist  von  Ettergarde  had  joined 
the  group,  and  all  were  evidently  in  the 
best  of  humor.  Occasionally  we  could 
hear  what  was  said,  but  most  of  their 
conversation  failed  to  reach  us.  In  the 
midst  of  their  good  cheer  a  piercing  cry, 
as  of  some  person  in  mortal  agony,  went 
up  into  the  night.  So  sudden  was  it,  so 
wild,  so  penetrating,  that  both  Hartzheim 
and  I,  although  we  were  expecting  it,  were 
thrilled  and  startled.  Again  it  rose,  and 
then  there  followed  frantic  appeals  to  von 
Ettergarde  for  aid.  I  raised  myself  upon 
one  knee  to  mark  the  effect  of  this  out- 
burst upon  the  troopers.  Their  drink- 
ing-cups were  cast  aside,  and,  even  as  I 
watched,  von  Ettergarde  and  another, 
with  their  weapons  drawn,  rushed  from 
the  platform  in  the  direction  of  the  cries, 


300  A  Man-at-Arms 

while  two  of  the  others  went  as  far  as  the 
edge  of  the  terrace. 

"  Now !  "  exclaimed  Hartzheim,  in  a 
whisper,  and  as  he  spoke  we  were  upon 
our  feet. 

Being  the  more  agile  of  the  two,  I 
darted  in  advance  of  my  friend  along  the 
face  of  the  tower.  The  wine-bearer,  with 
the  flagon  still  in  his  hand,  was  standing 
in  the  doorway,  while  on  the  lowest  of  the 
three  steps  which  led  to  the  entrance,  his 
face  set  in  the  direction  the  troopers  had 
taken,  was  a  short,  thickly-built  man, 
whom  I  took  to  be  the  keeper.  He  was 
gripping  the  handle  of  his  sword,  and 
seemed  to  be  on  the  point  of  joining  the 
two  soldiers  at  the  edge  of  the  terrace, 
when  a  pebble  gritted  under  my  foot. 
The  sound  caused  him  to  turn  his  head, 
and  he  descried  Hartzheim  and  myself 
not  twenty  feet  distant.  For  an  instant 
he  appeared  dazed,  our  garb  deceiving 
him,  then  he  uttered  a  cry  that  rivalled 
the  one  given  by  our  ally  and  guide,  and 
tried  to  interpose  between  me  and  the 
doorway.  But  his  surprise  and  hesitation, 


The  Tower  of  Vezio  301 

although  brief,  enabled  me  to  effect  my 
end.  I  eluded  the  stroke  he  aimed  at 
me,  and  charged  full  upon  the  man  in  the 
doorway,  who  had  had  no  time  to  draw 
his  weapon.  He  cast  the  flagon  full  at 
my  head,  and,  as  I  stooped  to  avoid  it, 
sprang  back  within  the  tower  and  whipped 
out  his  sword.  As  my  blade  met  his  I 
heard  the  clash  of  steel  from  without,  and 
knew  that  Hartzheim  had  engaged  the 
keeper. 

A  large  torch  stuck  in  a  cranny  shed 
a  flickering  light  over  the  room  which 
occupied  almost  the  entire  floor  of  the 
structure.  In  the  centre  of  the  rear  wall 
was  a  cavernous  fireplace ;  on  the  right 
of  this,  an  open  trap  led  to  the  cellar  and 
vaults ;  and  on  the  left  there  was  a  stair- 
way giving  access  to  the  rooms  above. 
All  this  I  took  in  at  a  glance  as  I 
bounded  into  the  room.  The  man  whom 
I  encountered  was  no  swordsman,  a  mere 
toy  in  my  hands,  and  after  a  few  passes 
I  sent  his  weapon  spinning  in  the  air. 
He  cringed  before  me,  begging  for  mercy; 
and,  though  I  knew  it  was  no  time  for 


3O2,  A  Man-at-Arms 

dallying  and  giving  quarter,  I  had  not 
the  heart  to  take  the  poor  wretch's  life 
in  cold  blood. 

"  Down  you  go,"  said  I,  pointing  to 
the  open  trap,  "  and  be  quick  about  it !  " 

He  did  not  wait  to  be  bidden  a  second 
time,  and  disappeared  in  speedy  fashion, 
while  I  dropped  the  door  above  him  and 
shot  the  bolt  that  held  it  into  its  socket. 
Two  strides  took  me  to  the  entrance  to 
the  tower,  where  a  single  look  told  me  I 
was  none  too  soon.  At  the  foot  of  the 
steps  the  prostrate  keeper  was  gasping  his 
life  out,  while  Hartzheim  was  beating  off 
the  blades  of  two  troopers,  and  endeavor- 
in  the  meanwhile  to  retreat  to  the  shelter 
of  the  doorway.  As  I  sprang  to  the  lower 
step  and  thrust  at  one  of  my  friend's 
assailants,  out  of  the  gloom  in  the  direc- 
tion of  the  village  leaped  von  Ettergarde 
and  a  fourth  trooper. 

"To  the  tower,"  cried  Hartzheim,  "  but 
give  them  a  taste  of  steel  first." 

We  forced  the  two  who  faced  us  back  a 
pace,  Hartzheim  inflicting  a  slight  wound 
upon  his  antagonist,  then  we  turned  and 


The  Tower  of  Vezio  303 

gained  the  shelter  of  the  doorway,  wheel- 
ing about  in  time  to  meet  the  combined 
rush  of  the  four,  von  Ettergarde  at  their 
head.  For  a  few  seconds  the  outcome 
seemed  doubtful,  but  the  doorway  was 
narrow,  and  they  found  it  difficult  to  reach 
us  with  their  swords ;  so  after  a  little  they 
retreated  to  the  bottom  of  the  steps  dis- 
comforted, two  of  them  at  least  bearing 
evidence  that  our  points  had  penetrated 
something  besides  leather.  Von  Ettergarde 
to  my  disgust  came  off  unharmed,  and 
was  now  disposed  to  parley. 

"  What  do  you  want  ? "  he  demanded 
of  Hartzheim,  not  condescending  to  notice 
me. 

"  A  wise  question,"  said  my  friend. 
"  Why  did  you  not  inquire  before  ?  We 
have  come  to  release  your  prisoners,  which 
we  shall  do  presently  without  so  much  as 
*  by  your  leave.' ' 

Von  Ettergarde  laughed. 

"  You  are  prisoners  yourselves,"  said 
he.  "  You  have  run  your  necks  into  the 
noose." 

"  Of  what  use  is  the  noose  if  you  can- 


304  A   Man-at-Arms 

not  tighten  it  ?  You  tried  just  now. 
Perhaps  you  would  like  to  try  again." 

Von  Ettergarde  made  no  reply,  but 
whispered  something  in  the  ear  of  one  of 
his  men,  who  immediately  set  out  in  the 
direction  of  the  village.  I  did  not  at  all 
fancy  the  turn  affairs  had  now  taken,  but 
my  friend  seemed  unconcerned.  For  a 
moment  or  two  nothing  more  was  said, 
then  upon  this  silence  broke  the  not  far 
distant  ring  of  meeting  steel,  following 
upon  which  came  a  sharp  cry  of  pain. 

Von  Ettergarde  and  his  two  companions 
glanced  apprehensively  at  one  another, 
while  Hartzheim  thrust  his  head  out  of 
the  doorway,  and  cried  in  his  great  deep 
voice,  — 

"  Ho,  Leo  Berni !  " 

There  was  an  answering  shout  from  the 
darkness,  the  sound  of  steps,  and  then  the 
figure  of  our  guide  burst  from  the  gloom. 
Now  we  were  man  for  man.  Down  the 
steps  sprang  Hartzheim  and  I,  but  von 
Ettergarde  and  the  two  remaining  troop- 
ers did  not  attempt  to  withstand  our  onset. 
Away  they  went  as  fast  as  their  legs  could 


The  Tower  of  Vezio  305 

carry  them,  over  the  edge  of  the  terrace, 
crashing  through  the  laurels,  and  disappear- 
ing into  the  murk  of  the  night. 

Berni  was  in  high  spirits  as  he  joined 
us. 

"I  had  a  little  dispute  out  yonder," 
said  he,  with  a  laugh.  "  Some  hulking 
fellow  came  rushing  along,  and  ordered 
me  from  the  pathway.  I  objected  to 
move,  so  we  tried  conclusions  with  our 
swords.  I  fear  his  spirit  is  ranging  in 
another  region  now,  though,  hearing  you 
shout,  I  did  not  pause  to  discover  if  he 
were  sped.  The  thrust  I  gave  him,  how- 
ever, when  properly  delivered,  is  one  that 
carries  death  with  it." 

"  Your  encounter  and  your  prompt 
response  to  my  friend's  call  were  most 
opportune,"  said  I. 

By  this  time  we  had  reached  the  en- 
trance to  the  tower. 

"  Von  Ettergarde  will  try  to  rouse  the 
villagers,"  said  Hartzheim,  "  and  there  is 
need  of  the  greatest  haste.  Berni  and  I 
will  stand  guard,  Luigi,  while  you  go 
above  and  release  the  prisoners." 


306  A  Man-at-Arms 

I  sheathed  my  sword,  ran  within,  and 
plucked  the  torch  from  the  cranny.  With 
a  heart  fast  throbbing  I  mounted  the  wind- 
ing stairs.  On  either  side  of  the  narrow 
landing  on  the  second  floor  was  a  rivet- 
clenched  door  chained  and  barred. 
"  Angela  !  "  I  cried  ;  "Angela  !  " 
The  bare  walls  gave  back  my  voice 
in  cavernous  reduplication,  and  it  was 
impossible  to  tell  if  my  appeal  was  an- 
swered, so  I  set  myself  to  unfastening  the 
chains  and  bolts  which  held  the  door  com- 
municating with  the  room  on  the  outer 
face  of  the  tower.  Disappointment  awaited 
my  efforts.  The  place  was  empty.  With 
all  haste  I  fell  to  undoing  the  fastenings 
of  the  door  opposite.  As  the  barrier 
swung  inward  on  creaking  hinges,  I  caught 
up  the  torch,  which  I  had  leaned  against 
the  wall,  and  held  it  high  above  my  head. 
The  room  was  hung  with  dingy  arras,  and 
furnished  with  a  slight  show  of  comfort, 
but  at  the  first  glance  I  thought  I  was  to 
be  disappointed  a  second  time.  On  look- 
ing closer,  however,  I  caught  sight  of  a 
figure  kneeling  with  averted  face  as  if  in 


The  Tower  of  Vezio  307 

prayer  before  a  pallet  in  the  corner.  I 
took  a  step  forward. 

"  Angela  !  "  said  I,  tenderly. 

The  face  of  my  beloved  —  for  it  was  she 
—  was  raised,  surprise,  hope,  doubt,  all 
written  upon  it.  In  the  flaring  torchlight 
my  features  must  have  been  indistinct,  for 
I  saw  fear  leap  into  her  eyes.  My  troop- 
er's dress,  too,  made  recognition  difficult. 
I  lowered  the  torch  and  advanced  to  the 
centre  of  the  room. 

"  Do  you  not  know  me,  Signorina  ?  " 
said  I.  "  It  is  I,  Luigi  della  Verria." 

In  an  instant  she  was  upon  her  feet. 

"  You  ! "  she  cried,  shading  her  eyes 
with  her  hand,  and  gazing  at  me  as  though 
she  could  scarcely  believe  what  she  had 
heard  ;  "  is  it  really  you  ?  Oh,  how  I  have 
prayed  that  you  would  come !  Thank 
God  !  Thank  God  !  " 

She  swayed  as  though  she  would  fall, 
and  I  sprang  to  her  side,  casting  the  torch 
upon  the  floor.  As  I  took  her  in  my 
arms  our  eyes  met  in  the  dim  light,  and  I 
read  in  hers  that  which  thrilled  my  whole 
being  with  rapture.  There  was  no  need 


308  A  Man-at-Arms 

of  words  of  wooing.  Words  could  wait. 
Each  knew  what  the  other's  heart  held, 
and  that  sufficed.  Scribes  who  write 
learnedly  of  love,  putting  words  of  ardor 
into  the  wooer's  mouth,  at  crucial  times 
like  this,  have  no  knowledge  of  such 
intense  feeling  as  those  moments  of  silence 
held  for  my  beloved  and  me. 


"  There  was  no  need  of  words  of  wooing."  —  Page  308 


Chapter  XX 
The  Flight  by  Night 

IT    was    Angela  who  first   returned   to 
earth  from  our  vision  of  paradise. 

"My  father!"  she  exclaimed,  as  she 
disengaged  herself  from  my  arms,  "  have 
you  found  him  ?  " 

"  No,"  I  answered. 

"  Come,"  she  said,  "  let  us  go  to  him. 
He  is  in  one  of  the  rooms  above." 

Lifting  the  torch  from  the  floor,  I  led 
the  way  to  the  landing  overhead,  and  soon 
father  and  daughter  were  clasped  in  a  fond 
embrace.  How  it  was  between  Angela 
and  myself  Signer  Canaro  must  have  sur- 
mised, for  he  said  to  me, — 

"  Had  I  a  son,  he  could  not  have  done 
more  than  you  have  done,  Signor  della 
Verria." 

309 


310  A  Man-at-Arms 

"  It  is  to  my  friend  below,"  I  replied, 
"  to  whom  thanks  are  chiefly  due.  I 
could  have  accomplished  nothing  without 
his  advice  and  aid.  But  further  danger 
may  threaten,  so  let  us  be  gone." 

I  was  rejoiced  to  learn  that  Signer 
Canaro's  wound  gave  him  but  little  incon- 
venience, for  I  now  saw  no  obstacle  to 
prevent  our  speedy  flight.  I  found  on 
descending  that  nothing  new  had  de- 
veloped during  my  absence,  and  after  I 
had  presented  my  beloved  and  her  father 
to  Hartzheim  and  Berni,  and  they  had 
expressed  in  the  warmest  terms  their 
gratitude  for  our  efforts  in  their  behalf 
( Angela  endearing  herself  to  me  all  the 
more  by  the  feeling  manner  in  which 
she  addressed  Hartzheim,  thereby  com- 
pletely winning  his  heart),  I  proposed 
that  we  quit  the  tower. 

"  The  sooner  the  better,"  said  Berni, 
"  else  will  it  be  no  easy  matter  to  gain  the 
lake  without  an  encounter." 

A  joy  which  I  will  not  try  to  describe 
filled  me  as  I  walked  by  Angela's  side, 
assisting  her  when  the  way  was  rough, 


The  Flight  by  Night  311 

whispering  to  her  words  of  encouragement 
and  love.  Her  spirits  rose  with  a  bound 
after  we  lost  sight  of  the  dismal  walls 
which  had  been  her  prison,  and  as  we  trod 
hand  in  hand  through  the  night,  to  both 
of  us  (despite  the  gloom)  the  path  seemed 
one  illumined  by  a  light  fairer  than  any 
our  eyes  had  ever  before  looked  upon. 

It  was  necessary  to  return  as  we  had 
come,  and  as  we  threaded  the  dark  lanes 
of  the  village  of  Vezio,  we  noticed  a  grow- 
ing commotion  in  the  main  thoroughfare, 
shouts  and  the  flaring  of  torches.  Von 
Ettergarde  was  rousing  the  villagers. 

Though  Signor  Canaro  seemed  appre- 
hensive, Angela  appeared  to  have  no  fear 
of  recapture,  and  I  was  buoyed  up  by  her 
confidence,  though  otherwise  I  believe  I 
should  have  shared  her  father's  anxiety ; 
for  the  noise  swelled  behind  us,  and  as 
we  reached  the  point  where  the  pathway 
began  to  pitch  sharply  toward  the  lake, 
we  descried  several  torch-bearers  hurrying 
after  us. 

"  They  cannot  have  seen  us,"  said 
Berni,  "  and  I  doubt  if  they  follow  us 


312  A  Man-at-Arms 

at  once.  They  will  think  to  intercept  us, 
should  we  come  this  way,  a  few  paces 
back  where  another  path  joins  the  one 
we  are  following.  It  will  hardly  occur  to 
them  that  we  have  already  passed." 

Our  guide's  conjecture  was  reassuring, 
and  proved  to  be  correct ;  this  was  provi- 
dential, as  our  progress  was  of  necessity 
slow,  owing  to  the  perils  of  the  pathway. 
Berni  led  the  party,  I  close  after  him, 
ever  ready  to  aid  Angela,  who  came  next, 
then  followed  her  father,  and  finally 
Hartzheim.  Without  accident  we  reached 
the  valley  of  the  Esino,  and  soon  were 
hastening  along  the  level  ground  to  where 
our  boat  was  moored.  It  was  not  difficult 
to  see  that  a  storm  was  impending.  The 
gloom  had  thickened,  and  not  a  breath  of 
air  stirred  upon  the  surface  of  the  lake. 

When  we  reached  the  boat,  we  found 
but  one  of  the  sailors  in  charge  of  her. 

"  Where  are  your  comrades  ?  "  cried  I, 
in  astonishment. 

"  They  did  not  expect  you  for  some 
time  yet,"  answered  the  man,  reluctantly, 
"  but  they  are  not  far  away." 


The  Flight  by  Night  313 

"  At  one  of  the  wine-houses,  I  sup- 
pose !  "  exclaimed  Hartzheim,  in  a  furious 
rage.  "  Well,  pack  yourself  off  and  sum- 
mon them,  and  if  you  are  not  back 
quickly,  you  may  look  to  find  your  boat 
gone." 

The  man  sped  away  in  the  direction 
of  the  nearest  light,  while  Hartzheim  and 
I,  outwardly  calm,  but  furious  with  con- 
cealed anger,  raised  the  two  troopers  whom 
we  had  left  in  the  prow  of  the  boat  and 
bestowed  them  by  the  side  of  the  pile  of 
provisions  upon  the  quay.  I  fear,  in  our 
impatience,  we  handled  them  with  scant 
consideration,  but  after  all  a  few  bruises 
are  but  a  small  matter.  Doubtless  they 
counted  themselves  fortunate  to  get  off  so 
lightly. 

While  Hartzheim  was  loosening  the 
mooring-rope,  I  moved  toward  Angela, 
who  was  standing  by  her  father's  side. 
She  came  to  meet  me,  divining  by  her 
fine  instinct  what  was  passing  in  my 
mind. 

"  Do  not  put  blame  upon  the  sailors 
when  they  come,"  she  said.  "  They  are 


3 14  A  Man-at-Arms 

our  only  means  of  escape,  and  what  should 
we  do  if  you  should  anger  them  and  they 
should  refuse  to  help  us  ?  " 

I  saw  that  she  was  right,  and  turned 
to  caution  Hartzheim,  who,  I  knew,  would 
be  likely  to  use  a  sharp  tongue  unless 
warned. 

"  The  Signorina  is  wise,"  said  my 
friend.  "  I  will  hold  my  peace,  though 
it  will  not  be  an  easy  matter." 

Very  soon  the  delinquents  came  dashing 
up,  their  leader  profuse  in  his  apologies. 
We  were  so  gratified  to  find  that  the  men 
were  all  of  them  in  possession  of  their 
senses,  and  not  stupefied  by  the  fumes  of 
drink,  as  we  had  expected  they  would  be, 
that  we  were  able  to  accept  their  excuses 
with  some  show  of  indulgence. 

We  now  bade  farewell  to  Leo  Berni, 
from  whom  we  parted  with  real  regret ;  he 
in  turn  declaring  that  were  it  not  for  say- 
ing good  by  to  his  people  he  should  be 
inclined  to  cast  his  lot  with  us.  As  we 
were  about  to  embark,  Signor  Canaro 
pressed  upon  the  valiant  trooper  a  ring 
heavy  with  gems,  which  he  begged  him  to 


The  Flight  by  Night  315 

wear  in  remembrance  of  him  and  of  his 
daughter. 

As  we  drew  out  from  shore,  the  light- 
ning began  to  play  behind  the  crest  of  a 
lofty  peak  on  the  further  side  of  the  lake 
which  the  sailors  called  Monte  Crocione. 

"  It  is  better  to  be  here  in  the  storm 
than  there,"  said  Angela  to  me,  as  we  sat 
side  by  side  in  the  stern. 

I  glanced  back  in  the  direction  which 
she  indicated,  and  saw  the  flash  of  moving 
lights  all  along  the  mountain  slope.  Von 
Ettergarde  had  been  abundantly  success- 
ful in  rousing  the  villagers  of  Vezio,  but 
he  had  evidently  not  been  keen  enough  to 
surmise  that  we  had  had  a  guide  to  whom 
the  paths  leading  from  the  tower  had, 
from  boyhood,  been  familiar  ground. 

We  had  told  the  boatmen  we  were  likely 
to  be  pursued,  but  I  saw  by  the  way  they 
bent  to  their  oars,  and  by  the  apprehen- 
sive glances  they  cast  at  the  sky  when  a 
lightning  flash  lit  up  the  brooding  expanse 
of  water,  that  it  was  not  for  fear  of  be- 
ing overtaken  that  they  were  pulling  so 
lustily. 


316  A  Man-at-Arms 

"  Is  there  danger  from  the  storm  ?  "  I 
asked  of  the  one  nearest  us. 

"  That  there  is,  Signore,"  said  he. 
"  We  should  never  have  ventured  out  had 
it  not  been  that  we  promised  you  our 
assistance." 

"  Can  we  not  seek  some  shelter  till  the 
tempest  passes?  "  said  I. 

"  We  are  striving  to  reach  a  place  of 
safety,"  he  answered,  "  a  little  cove  that  is 
half  cave  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  Bellag- 
gio  promontory.  We  shall  be  quite  out 
of  danger  there,  and  dry." 

It  was  really  a  race  with  the  storm  that 
our  boatmen  were  rowing.  Little  puffs 
of  warm  air  fanned  our  cheeks,  then  there 
was  a  perfect  calm  again.  The  thunder- 
growl  momently  became  more  threatening ; 
the  mountains  seemed  to  rock  upon  their 
very  foundations,  and  the  heavens  to  vi- 
brate above  us.  Our  boat  shot  through  the 
water  faster  than  I  deemed  it  possible  for 
so  clumsy  a  craft.  I  could  hear  the  labored 
breathing  of  the  boatmen,  who  never  for  a 
second  relaxed  their  efforts.  Already  the 
Val  d'Esino  and  the  Tower  of  Vezio  were 


The  Flight  by  Night  317 

left  far  behind.  The  lights  upon  the 
mountain  slope  faded  into  faint  points,  and 
then  were  wholly  lost.  One  instant  it 
was  as  though  we  were  moving  forward 
through  a  void  of  limitless  night  in  which 
no  planet  ever  shone ;  the  next  we  were 
enveloped  in  a  sheet  of  dazzling  flame. 

Though  I  had  never  before  experienced 
such  an  aerial  display,  I  felt  no  concern  tor 
myself;  but  for  Angela  I  was  full  of  anx- 
iety. She  must  have  read  this  on  my 
face  by  the  light  of  one  of  the  flashes,  for 
she  said, — 

"  I  fear  nothing  now,  Luigi.  Nature 
has  always  been  my  friend." 

She  had  never  called  me  Luigi  before, 
and  the  thrill  I  experienced  on  hearing  my 
name  upon  her  lips  caused  me  so  wholly 
to  forget  our  surroundings  that  I  needs 
must  take  her  in  my  arms  for  a  moment 
despite  the  fact  that  the  lightning  was 
likely  at  any  instant  to  betray  me  to  the 
eyes  of  the  sailors,  to  those  of  my  friend, 
and  of  Angela's  father. 

Erelong  there  was  a  gust  of  cool  air,  and 
a  few  large  drops  of  rain  fell.  Then  a 


318  A  Man-at-Arms 

forked  flame  shot  from  the  sky,  and  a 
sound  as  of  the  rending  of  the  universe 
smote  our  ears.  Somewhere  upon  the 
promontory  toward  which  we  were  speed- 
ing the  bolt  struck,  and  the  nearness  of 
our  haven  of  refuge  was  revealed  to  us. 
I  heard  the  leader  of  the  sailors  give  a 
sharp  word  of  command,  whereat  the  men 
ceased  rowing  and  rested  on  their  oars. 
The  pause  was  but  momentary,  however, 
for  when  another  flash  came  they  resumed 
their  stroke.  Soon  we  were  close  to  the 
shore,  and  just  before  the  flood  of  the 
storm  was  loosened,  still  aided  by  the  fit- 
ful light  in  the  heaven,  we  glided  into  a 
little  cove  over  which  a  shelf  of  rock 
impended,  and  above  which  the  cliff  rose 
sheer  to  the  height  of  one  hundred  feet. 
As  we  were  on  the  leeward  side  of  the 
promontory,  the  tempest  driving  up  the 
lake  from  the  southwest,  our  shelter  was 
both  secure  and  dry. 

How  long  we  were  forced  to  remain 
here  I  cannot  say.  Safe  for  a  while  from 
pursuit,  protected  from  the  rage  of  the 
elements,  with  the  one  in  all  the  world 


The  Flight  by   Night  319 

dearest  to  me  by  my  side,  I  gave  little 
heed  to  the  lapse  of  time,  to  the  roaring 
of  the  wind,  and  the  deluge  of  the  rain. 
Even  after  there  came  a  rift  in  the  rack 
it  seemed  unwise  to  proceed  at  once, 
owing  to  the  roughness  of  the  water  and 
the  force  of  the  gale,  but  toward  morning, 
just  as  the  first  faint  glimmering  of  dawn 
showed  between  the  mountain  crests,  we 
put  out  and  began  coasting  the  western 
shore.  Soon  after  sunrise  the  water  grew 
calmer,  for  we  had  left  behind  the  central 
track  of  the  storm,  and  as  the  breeze  now 
shifted  to  the  north,  the  oars  were  un- 
shipped and  the  sail  hoisted. 

We  reached  Lecco  considerably  before 
noon,  and  found  Galbo,  all  preparations 
for  our  journey  made,  awaiting  us.  After 
a  brief  tarry  for  rest  and  refreshment  we 
mounted.  The  horses  were  in  fine  fettle, 
the  sky  was  without  a  wisp  of  cloud,  the 
air  was  cool  and  fresh,  and  with  hearts 
elate  we  rode  out  of  the  mountain  coun- 
try through  the  rolling  foot-hills  to  Ber- 
gamo, where  we  lay  for  the  night.  We 
should  have  pressed  forward  another  ten 


320  A   Man-at-Arms 

miles  to  Grumello  had  we  not  had  Signor 
Canaro's  condition  to  consider;  but  we 
soon  discovered  that  it  would  be  neces- 
sary for  him  to  husband  his  strength  with 
the  greatest  care,  and  hence  shortened  the 
distance  we  had  planned  to  compass  on 
leaving  Lecco. 

On  the  following  morning  I  had  my 
first  opportunity  to  broach  to  Signor 
Canaro  that  which  was  now  the  dearest 
desire  of  my  life,  my  marriage  to  Angela. 
He  received  my  proposal  with  all  the 
kindness  and  gentle  courtesy  which 
marked  his  nature,  and  even  before  I 
told  him  what  my  prospects  were  (that 
I  was  the  heir  to  my  cousin  Alberto 
Gambacorta  of  Padua),  he  yielded  his 
hearty  assent.  What  his  words  were  I 
will  not  repeat  lest  I  seem  to  set  forth 
my  own  praise  unduly.  It  will  suffice  to 
state  that  his  reception  of  me  in  my  new 
attitude  straightway  transported  me  to  a 
perfect  heaven  of  bliss,  and  I  was  about 
to  wheel  Hawkwood  to  Angela's  side  to 
whisper  to  her  how  I  had  won  her  father's 
approval,  and  see  the  blush-rose  dye  her 


The  Flight  by  Night  321 

cheek,  when  Signer  Canaro  detained  me 
by  saying,  — 

"  She  will  not  be  a  dowerless  bride, 
Signer  della  Verria,  though  I  must  per- 
force leave  to  the  Visconti  the  bulk  of  my 
possessions.  When  I  was  persecuted  by 
Gian  Galeazzo's  uncle,  Bernabo,  I  con- 
verted a  portion  of  my  property  into 
jewels.  These  we  shall  be  able  to  carry 
with  us  when  we  leave  Brescia." 

This  was  the  first  intimation  I  had  had 
that  Signer  Canaro  expected  to  visit  his 
home  even  for  the  briefest  period.  Hartz- 
heim  and  I  had  discussed  the  matter  that 
morning  before  our  departure  from  Ber- 
gamo, and  had  decided  that  it  would  be 
the  part  of  wisdom  to  avoid  Brescia  en- 
tirely, but  I  now  realized  that  Signer 
Canaro  would  never  consent  to  this ;  and, 
after  all,  a  short  halt  there  might  lead 
to  no  harm.  Although  von  Ettergarde 
would  lose  no  time  in  acquainting  the 
Visconti  with  the  escape  of  his  captives, 
and  although  my  former  master  would 
naturally  hit  on  Brescia  as  the  spot  where 
he  might  most  naturally  re-cage  the  flown 


322  A  Man-at-Arms 

prisoners,  it  did  not  seem  to  me  possible 
that  his  emissaries  could  overtake  us 
unless  we  had  the  misfortune  to  be  de- 
tained a  considerable  number  of  hours. 

After  consulting  with  Hartzheim,  we 
decided  to  change  slightly  our  former 
plan  so  as  to  allow  for  a  brief  tarry  at 
Brescia.  Our  route  to  Padua  lay  by  way 
of  Mantua,  — a  wide  detour,  it  is  true,  but 
Verona  and  the  adjacent  country  was  little 
less  than  an  armed  and  hostile  camp. 


Chapter  XXI 
The  House  of  the  Canari 

AS  we  were  drawing  near  Brescia  that 
afternoon,  I  left  Angela,  by  whose 
side  I  had  been  riding,  and  joined  her 
father,  noticing  that  he  seemed  fatigued 
and  dejected,  Hartzheim  taking  my  place 
near  my  betrothed.  Signor  Canaro  said 
nothing  for  several  moments  after  I  asked 
him  how  he  fared,  but  kept  his  eyes  fixed 
upon  the  distance  out  of  which  rose  dimly 
the  towers  of  the  city  which  had  for  cen- 
turies been  the  home  of  his  race. 

"  I  believe  it  is  not  the  wound  that 
drags  me  down,"  he  answered  finally, 
"  but  the  knowledge  that  I  must  flee 
before  that  viper  who  has  drawn  his 
coils  about  so  much  of  our  fair  land  of 
northern  Italy,  who  will  one  day,  if  I 
323 


324  A  Man-at-Arms 

mistake  not,  encompass  many  another 
prosperous  city  to  the  ruin  of  its  rulers 
and  its  leading  men  ;  the  knowledge  that 
he  will  sweep  into  his  coffers  well-nigh 
all  that  is  by  birthright  mine,  and  I  am 
powerless  to  avert  it." 

"  You  have  never  told  me,"  said  I, 
"  how  he  dares  to  wrong  you  so." 

"  He  has  a  pretended  claim,  else  even 
in  his  position,  all-powerful  though  he 
apparently  deems  it,  he  would  hardly 
venture  to  employ  such  extreme  meas- 
ures. I  had  intended  to  explain  the 
whole  matter  to  you,  and  perhaps  there 
is  no  better  time  than  now. 

"  You  are  in  a  measure  acquainted  with 
the  persecutions  which  my  daughter  and  I 
endured  at  the  hands  of  Bernabo  Visconti, 
so  you  may  imagine  with  what  joy  I  wel- 
comed the  news  of  his  downfall.  All  that 
I  had  heard  of  Gian  Galeazzo  before  his 
deposal  of  his  uncle  prepossessed  me  in 
his  favor,  and  while  Brescia  was  among 
the  last  of  Bernabo's  possessions  to  yield 
to  the  new  lord,  I  proclaimed  myself  in 
his  favor  at  the  outset.  I  cannot  recall 


The  House  of  the  Canari       325 

exactly  when  I  first  had  a  personal  com- 
munication from  him,  but  I  should  say 
about  a  month  ago.  In  it  he  bade  me 
wait  upon  him  in  Milan  as  soon  as  it  was 
convenient  for  me  to  do  so,  as  he  had 
matters  of  special  importance  to  discuss 
with  me.  Thinking  he  referred  to  muni- 
cipal affairs,  in  which,  with  the  change  of 
power,  I  had  taken  considerable  interest, 
I  replied,  stating  when  I  would  present 
myself  at  his  palace.  I  was  delayed  in 
leaving  Brescia  —  " 

"  Ah,"  I  interposed,  "  perhaps  that  is 
why  I  was  made  the  bearer  of  a  missive 
to  you.  I  think  I  have  never  told  you 
that  the  day  after  your  departure  for 
Milan  I  called  upon  you  to  deliver  a 
letter  from  Gian  Galeazzo." 

"  The  Visconti  informed  me  at  our  first 
meeting  that  he  had  summoned  me  a 
second  time,  but  of  course  I  did  not 
know  through  whom.  The  delay  of 
which  I  spoke  was  but  of  brief  duration. 
Angela,  who  had  never  visited  Milan, 
begged  that  she  might  accompany  me, 
and  I  was  only  too  glad  of  her  com- 


326  A  Man-at-Arms 

panionship,  never  dreaming  that  I  was 
leading  her  into  peril.  We  made  the 
journey  without  incident  and  were  soon 
established  in  lodgings  recommended  to 
us  by  Brescia  friends.  I  hastened,  on  the 
morning  following  my  arrival,  to  the  pal- 
ace of  the  Visconti,  and  was  graciously 
received  by  him,  but  it  was  not  till  toward 
the  close  of  our  interview  that  there 
dawned  upon  me  the  faintest  notion  of 
what  that  master  of  craft  really  desired 
of  me.  '  There  are  certain  papers,'  he 
said  casually,  after  there  had  been  much 
talk  concerning  the  condition  of  affairs  in 
Brescia,  *  which  I  wish  to  discuss  with 
you  if  you  will  kindly  give  me  an  hour 
of  your  time  on  the  morrow.'  '  Papers  ? ' 
I  replied,  with  some  surprise.  { Yes,'  he 
returned,  f  documents  which  recently  came 
to  my  hand  quite  accidentally  while  I 
chanced  to  be  disposing  of  some  of  my 
uncle's  effects.' 

"  At  the  mention  of  his  uncle  a  sense 
of  an  impending  unpleasant  disclosure 
seized  me,  though  I  did  not  dream  how 
vitally  I  was  to  be  affected  thereby.  '  The 


The  House  of  the  Canari       327 

writings,'  said  he,  t  are  by  no  means  of 
recent  date,  in  fact  they  were  executed 
about  the  time  my  ancestor,  Azzone,  be- 
came the  Overlord  of  Brescia.'  At  this 
a  swift  suspicion  smote  me.  '  May  I 
ask,'  I  said,  '  if  these  writings  concern  me 
personally  ? '  '  Filippo  Canaro  was  your 
grandfather,  was  he  not  ? '  the  Visconti 
asked.  '  He  was,'  I  replied.  '  Then,' 
said  the  Lord  of  Milan,  l  it  is  my  opin- 
ion, inasmuch  as  you,  through  your  father, 
are  Filippo  Canaro's  heir,  that  the  papers 
very  decidedly  concern  you.  In  them  are 
embodied  certain  agreements  which  appar- 
ently have  been  only  partially  fulfilled, — 
but  we  will  speak  of  these  matters  when 
we  meet  again,'  and  I  was  dismissed  with 
the  request,  which  was  virtually  a  com- 
mand, that  I  repair  to  the  palace  at  a 
certain  hour  the  next  day. 

"  I  was  familiar  enough  with  the  his- 
tory of  my  family  at  the  time  of  the 
downfall  of  the  Brusati  in  Brescia.  I 
knew  that  my  grandfather  had  opposed 
Azzone  Visconti,  and,  when  that  prince 
had  triumphed,  had  purchased  exemption 


328  A  Man-at-Arms 

from  exile  at  the  sacrifice  of  almost  every- 
thing he  possessed.  I  was  morally  certain 
that  Gian  Galeazzo  had  no  claim  upon 
my  family  that  had  not  been  satisfied 
long  since.  The  papers,  the  documents, 
which  the  Lord  of  Milan  asserted  that 
he  possessed  were  doubtless  forgeries  exe- 
cuted by  his  uncle,  just  before  his  deposal, 
as  a  final  means  of  bending  me  to  his 
ends. 

"  Naturally  I  was  much  disquieted  by 
the  Visconti's  revelation,  but  I  hoped  to 
be  able  to  prove  to  his  satisfaction  the 
falsity  of  the  writings,  and  the  injustice  of 
pressing  such  a  claim.  I  had  yet  to  dis- 
cover the  real  nature  of  the  man  with 
whom  I  had  to  deal.  Seeking  the  palace 
at  the  appointed  hour  on  the  following 
day,  I  was  informed  that  his  Lordship 
could  not  see  me.  Another  time  of  meet- 
ing was  set,  and  again  I  failed  to  obtain 
the  expected  interview.  I  began  to  realize 
that  I  was  like  a  bird,  about  whom  the  net 
which  is  to  prove  its  undoing  is  gradually 
being  closer  and  closer  drawn. 

"  At  length,   late  in   the  afternoon  of 


The  House  of  the  Canari       329 

that  memorable  day  when  you  rendered 
me  such  timely  assistance,  I  succeeded  in 
gaining  the  Visconti's  presence,  and  it  was 
not  long  before  I  saw  beneath  that  suave 
and  fair-seeming  exterior  the  fangs  of  the 
venomous  viper.  He  was  satisfied,  he 
said,  that  the  ancient  claims  against  the 
Canaro  estate  were  still  outstanding,  and 
despite  what  I  affirmed  in  regard  to  my 
ability  to  disprove  this  statement,  he 
hinted  to  me  that,  unless  I  complied  with 
his  wishes  to  the  letter  (this  I  speedily 
discovered  meant  beggary),  grave  conse- 
quences might  ensue.  In  either  case, 
whether  I  bowed  to  his  will  or  not,  I 
knew  myself  ruined.  I  looked  upon  the 
blandly  smiling  face  before  me,  and  a 
great  contempt  that  changed  to  a  great 
anger  rose  within  me.  I  tossed  prudence 
to  the  winds.  I  set  before  him  in  plain 
words  what  he  proposed  doing.  I  drew 
him  a  vivid  picture  of  his  own  cowardly 
and  despicable  nature,  and  finally  I  cursed 
him  and  his  whole  viper  brood.  Toward 
the  last  he  became  fearful  for  his  safety, 
and  summoned  some  attendants,  who 


330  A  Man-at-Arms 

ejected  me  from  his  presence.  I  went 
forth  dazed  with  rage,  and  had  hardly 
become  master  of  myself  when  his  hire- 
lings set  upon  me  in  the  Via  San 
Lorenzo." 

The  recollection  of  all  he  had  suffered 
at  the  hands  of  my  former  master  so 
moved  Signer  Canaro  that  every  vestige 
of  color  left  his  face,  and  for  an  instant  I 
feared  that  he  would  lose  his  seat  in  the 
saddle ;  but  he  recovered  himself,  and  we 
rode  for  a  space  in  silence,  for  what  conso- 
lation could  I  offer  to  one  who  had  suf- 
fered such  grievous  wrong  ? 

Hartzheim  broke  in  upon  our  medita- 
tion by  suggesting  a  moment's  halt  for 
consultation,  inasmuch  as  we  were  now 
approaching  the  city  walls. 

"  I  understand,"  he  said,  addressing 
Signor  Canaro,  "  that  it  is  your  desire  to 
pause  for  a  brief  space  at  your  home.  It 
strikes  me  that  it  would  be  unwise  for 
all  of  us  to  accompany  you,  provided 
a  different  and  satisfactory  arrangement 
can  be  made,  since  we  do  not  wish,  if 
we  can  avoid  it,  to  leave  behind  us  any 


The  House  of  the  Canari       331 

sign  of  our  tarry  here.  By  this  time  to- 
morrow I  trust  we  shall  be  beyond  the 
Visconti's  power,  but  I  doubt  if  we  can 
win  farther  than  Montechiaro  to-night, 
and  it  would  be  most  unfortunate  if  pur- 
suers should  get  track  of  us,  and  over- 
take us  there,  as  they  might  be  able  to 
do  should  we  give  them  the  means  of 
tracing  us." 

"  There  is  a  reputable  inn  just  without 
the  Porta  Venezia  where  you,  Angela,  and 
Galbo  might  await  Signer  della  Verria  and 
myself,"  answered  Signor  Canaro. 

"Just  the  spot,"  said  Hartzheim. 
"  Even  should  we  be  tracked  thither,  those 
pursuing  would  naturally  infer  that  we 
had  ridden  toward  Verona." 

So  it  was  decided  that  I  should  accom- 
pany Signor  Canaro  into  the  city,  while 
the  others,  by  making  a  considerable  de- 
tour, should  avoid  the  town,  gain  the 
shelter  of  the  inn,  and  there  abide  our 
coming.  Bidding  Angela  be  of  good 
cheer,  we  dismounted,  gave  our  horses  into 
the  charge  of  Hartzheim  and  Galbo,  and 
strode  toward  the  gateway,  Signor  Canaro 


332  A  Man-at-Arms 

half  muffling  his  face  in  his  cloak  to  avoid 
any  chance  recognition. 

Unaccosted  and  unheeded  we  gained 
the  house  of  the  Canari.  While  we  stood 
awaiting  the  servant  in  whose  charge  the 
palace  had  been  left,  I  marked  the  pallor 
of  my  companion's  face,  but  as  I  was 
uncertain  whether  it  was  owing  to  exhaus- 
tion or  to  the  strong  emotion  naturally  due 
to  the  thought  that  he  might  be  entering 
for  the  last  time  his  own  home  and  that  of 
his  fathers,  I  refrained  from  commenting 
upon  it,  though  it  gave  me  no  little  anxiety. 
But  the  old  retainer  who  threw  open  the 
door  was  not  silent.  He  took  instant 
fright  at  the  almost  death-like  countenance 
of  his  master. 

"  Signore,  Signore,"  he  cried.  "  What 
has  happened  ?  Has  ill  befallen  the  Sig- 
norina  ? " 

"  No,  no,  Tonio  ;  thank  heaven,  not 
that !  "  said  Signor  Canaro. 

"  Will  you  come  with  me  ?  "  he  asked, 
as  we  passed  within. 

Thinking  that  he  might  prefer  to  be 
alone,  and  had  only  invited  me  to  accom- 


The  House  of  the  Canari       333 

pany  him  out  of  courtesy,  I  declined, 
saying  I  would  remain  with  Tonio.  As- 
suring me  that  he  would  not  keep  me 
long  waiting,  he  crossed  the  courtyard  and 
was  lost  to  view.  As  I  watched  him,  and 
noted  the  uncertainty  of  his  steps,  I 
regretted  that  I  had  declined  to  go  with 
him. 

"  What  ails  the  master,  Signore  ?  "  said 
the  wondering  servant. 

"  He  has  been  ill,"  I  returned,  knowing 
it  would  be  unwise  to  arouse  the  man's 
curiosity  by  telling  him  Signer  Canaro 
had  been  wounded ;  "  moreover,  he  has 
ridden  far  to-day,  and  is  much  fatigued." 

"  And  will  he  not  bide  at  home  now 
that  he  is  here  ?  " 

"  No ;  he  is  obliged  to  go  at  once  upon 
another  journey." 

The  man  was  bewildered,  but  he  showed 
that  he  knew  his  place  by  forbearing  to 
question  me  further. 

I  began  pacing  up  and  down  the  court- 
yard, listening  anxiously  to  catch  the  first 
sound  of  Signer  Canaro's  returning  foot- 
steps. The  moments  slipped  by,  and  at 


334  A  Man-at-Arms 

length  I  grew  uneasy.  I  reflected  that 
Angela's  father  had  told  me  he  would  not 
keep  me  long  waiting.  Again  and  again 
my  eyes  sought  the  stairway  which  he  had 
ascended.  Tonio,  too,  showed  that  he 
shared  my  anxiety.  At  length  I  could 
endure  the  suspense  no  longer. 

"  Something  may  have  happened  to 
your  master,"  said  I. 

"  Shall  we  go  and  see,  Signore  ?  "  asked 
the  man. 

"Yes,"  said  I ;  "  do  you  lead  the  way." 

In  haste  we  mounted  to  the  second  floor. 

"  He  would  hardly  be  here,"  said  I. 
"  Where  are  the  apartments  which  he 
usually  occupies  ? " 

"  On  the  floor  above,  Signore." 

When  we  reached  the  next  landing  we 
paused. 

"  Signer  Canaro,"  I  called. 

There  was  no  answer.  Again  I  called, 
much  louder  than  before,  and  still  there 
was  no  reply. 

I  chanced  to  glance  at  Tonio,  and  saw 
apprehension  and  fear  plainly  written  on 
his  face. 


The   House  of  the  Canari        335 

"  What  has  happened,  Signore  ?  "  said 
he,  his  voice  unconsciously  falling  to  a 
whisper. 

"  We  must  see,"  said  I  ;  "  which  are 
your  master's  apartments  ?  " 

"  Yonder,"  he  answered,  pointing  to  a 
half-open  door  at  the  extremity  of  the 
corridor,  toward  which  I  strode  with  feel- 
ings of  the  greatest  concern,  Tonio  hang- 
ing back  as  though  he  dreaded  what  might 
be  revealed. 

I  halted  upon  the  threshold  and  pushed 
wide  the  door.  The  room  was  small  and 
richly  furnished.  On  two  sides  were 
couches  after  the  Byzantine  fashion. 
Heavy  draperies  hid  the  walls.  An  in- 
laid cabinet  stood  in  one  corner,  and  in 
the  centre  of  the  apartment  there  was  a 
curious  table,  —  a  slab  of  lapis  lazuli  sup- 
ported by  four  bronze  griffins.  I  thought 
the  room  empty,  and  was  crossing  toward 
the  doorway  at  right  angles  to  the  one  by 
which  I  had  entered,  when  I  noticed  that 
one  of  the  couches  had  been  slightly 
moved  and  that  at  the  farther  end  the 
arras  hung  as  though  some  object  broke 


336  A  Man-at-Arms 

its  symmetrical  folds.  Hastening  to  the 
spot,  I  drew  back  the  hangings,  and  there 
lay  the  body  of  Signor  Canaro  before  an 
open  sliding  panel  which  disclosed  a  small 
metallic  casket. 

As  my  eyes  fell  upon  the  ghastly  gray- 
ness  of  his  countenance,  a  momentary 
panic  seized  me,  and  I  looked  down  upon 
him  in  speechless  horror.  It  seemed  to 
me  that  he  must  be  dead.  One  hand  was 
outflung  toward  me,  and  presently,  when 
I  had  recovered  a  little  from  the  shock, 
I  bent  over  and  touched  him.  There  was 
a  feeble  fluttering  at  the  wrist,  like  a  faint 
flickering  watch-fire  seen  by  a  wanderer 
in  the  dark,  which  revived  hope  and  made 
me  quite  myself  again.  With  a  shout  I 
summoned  Tonio.  Together  we  lifted 
the  swooned  man,  placed  him  on  one  of 
the  couches,  and  set  about  restoring  him 
to  consciousness.  This  we  finally  suc- 
ceeded in  doing,  but  so  weak  was  he  that 
he  could  scarcely  raise  his  head,  and  the 
words  that  fell  from  his  lips  were  hardly 
articulate.  I  drew  Tonio  to  one  side. 

"  Is  there  a  physician  near  ?  "  said  I. 


The  House  of  the  Canari       337 

"  Yes,  Signore ;  the  one  who  usually 
attends  the  master  lives  in  the  next  street." 

"Do  you  summon  him,"  said  I,  "and 
be  quick.  Fetch  another,  should  you  not 
find  the  one  you  seek  at  home." 

Tonio  gone,  I  seated  myself  at  Signer 
Canaro's  side,  moistening  his  lips  occa- 
sionally with  a  few  drops  of  strong  Calabrian 
wine,  watching  eagerly  for  some  sign  of 
returning  strength  in  his  pallid  counte 
nance.  Occasionally  he  opened  his  eyes 
and  let  them  rest  for  an  instant  on  mine, 
then  closed  them  again  without  attempting 
to  speak.  There  was  a  strong  appeal  in 
his  look,  yet  he  would  not  put  into  words 
that  for  which  his  heart  clamored.  I  was 
not  slow  to  divine  his  desire,  and  could 
not  steel  myself  to  deny  him,  however 
much  compliance  pained  me.  Signor 
Canaro  believed  himself  to  be  dying,  and 
yearned  for  the  presence  of  his  daughter. 

Delay  in  the  house  of  the  Canari  meant 
the  direst  danger  to  us  all.  Every  hour, 
every  fraction  of  an  hour,  brought  nearer 
those  whom  I  knew  the  Visconti,  in  rage 
at  the  frustration  of  his  schemes,  had  de- 


338  A  Man-at-Arms 

spatched  in  search  of  us.  Yet  what  could 
be  done  ?  Fortune,  who  had  showered 
her  favors  upon  us  thus  far,  had  suddenly 
deserted  us,  and  an  evil  fate  (in  the  person 
of  the  Great  Viper)  seemed  about  to 
enmesh  us  in  its  coils. 

Again  Signer  Canaro  unclosed  his  eyes 
and  fastened  upon  me  that  appealing  look. 
I  nodded  my  head. 

"  Yes,"  I  said,  "  as  soon  as  Tonio  re- 
turns she  shall  be  sent  for." 

A  more  restful  expression  now  settled 
upon  his  face,  but  the  color  did  not  return, 
nor  did  his  pulse  perceptibly  strengthen. 
Some  vital  breath  must  soon  fan  the  flame 
of  life,  else  it  would  expire  and  leave  but 
ashes. 

At  length  there  was  the  sound  of  foot- 
steps on  the  stair,  and  I  hastened  to  the 
doorway  to  greet  Tonio  and  the  man  of 
healing. 

"  I  could  not  find  the  master's  physi- 
cian," the  servant  said,  "  so  I  have  brought 
one  whose  cures  are  famous  beyond  Brescia, 
though  he  is  scorned  by  those  of  the 
schools."  \ 


The  House  of  the  Canari       339 

"  Alessandro  Muzio,  at  your  service, 
Signore,"  said  the  man  in  question,  whom 
I  saw  by  his  garb  and  air  to  be  one  of 
those  who  brood  by  night  over  the 
mysteries  of  the  stars,  who  interpret  the 
strange  workings  of  the  earth,  and  are  said 
(how  truly  I  know  not)  to  hold  com- 
munion with  disembodied  souls,  and  with 
the  dark  spirits  of  a  nether  sphere. 

A  great  shock  of  hair  like  a  horse's 
forelock  escaped  from  his  conical  hat  and 
hid  his  brow.  A  dark  beard,  thickly 
sprinkled  with  gray,  grew  high  upon  his 
cheeks,  hiding  his  mouth,  and  falling  to 
his  breast.  It  was  the  eyes  that  gave 
character  to  the  face.  Deep  set,  and 
seemingly  as  changeable  as  a  chameleon 
in  the  sun,  now  they  slumbered  like  a  dull 
coal,  now  they  glowed  and  sparkled  with 
an  intense  light.  A  single  garment  of 
some  blue  Eastern  fabric  girt  by  a  silken 
cord  hid  his  ample  figure,  and  lent  a  certain 
majesty  to  his  bearing.  Though  I  realized 
that  among  many  there  was  an  unfavorable 
feeling  toward  such  as  he,  I  could  not  avoid 
being  strongly  impressed  by  him. 


340  A  Man -at- Arms 

"You  will  find  your  patient  yonder," 
I  said,  pointing  to  the  couch  where  Signer 
Canaro  lay. 

The  leech  bowed  and  entered  the  room, 
while  I  remained  in  the  corridor  for  a 
word  with  Tonio. 

"You  know  an  inn  outside  the  Porta 
Venezia  ?  "  I  asked. 

"Yes,  Signore,  the  inn  of  the  Three 
Kings.  It  is  so  called  because  —  " 

"  Never  mind  about  that,  but  listen  to 
what  I  have  to  say." 

"  Yes,  Signore." 

"  I  wish  you  to  hasten  as  fast  as  may 
be  to  this  inn,  and  inquire  there  for  Signor 
Hartzheim.  To  him  you  are  to  say  that 
you  have  come  at  my  orders  to  conduct 
him  and  Signorina  Canaro  hither.  Should 
he  not  be  disposed  to  believe  you,  bid 
him  call  the  Signorina,  but  do  not  under 
any  circumstances  so  forget  yourself  as 
to  alarm  her  needlessly  in  regard  to  the 
condition  of  her  father.  He  may  be 
much  recovered  by  the  time  you  return. 
Say,  if  you  are  questioned,  that  I  will 
explain  everything  on  their  arrival." 


The  House  of  the  Canari       341 

I  descended  with  Tonio  to  the  street 
entrance,  and,  having  seen  him  start  at  a 
brisk  pace  upon  his  mission,  secured  the 
door  and  again  mounted  the  stairs.  I 
found  the  leech,  or  seer,  awaiting  me  in 
the  corridor  just  outside  the  room  where 
Signor  Canaro  lay.  He  put  to  me  a  few 
searching  inquiries,  and  then  drew  from 
beneath  his  robe  a  thin  and  worn  leather 
case  from  which  he  took  a  slender  vial 
containing  a  liquid  that  sparkled  like 
molten  gold. 

"  The  Signore  is  exhausted,"  he  said, 
"  nervously  and  physically,  and  needs 
complete  rest." 

"  I  feared  that  it  might  be  worse,"  said 
I,  "  but  that  is  bad  enough.  We  should 
be  gone  out  of  Brescia  within  the  hour." 

"  So  I  gathered  from  what  the  Signore 
said.  I  would  fain  work  a  miracle,  but 
that  is  not  in  my  power ;  yet  this  I  can 
promise  you  :  if  three  drops  of  this  "  (hold- 
ing up  the  vial)  "  be  administered  on  the 
stroke  of  every  hour,  by  midnight  the 
Signore  will  be  able  to  continue  his 
journey." 


342  A  Man-at-Arms 

"  Pray  heaven  it  may  not  then  be  too 
late  !  "  I  exclaimed,  as  we  passed  into  the 
room  together. 

The  apartment  adjoining  the  one  where 
the  sick  man  was  reclining  was  a  library, 
or  study ;  beyond  this  was  a  bedchamber, 
and  thither  we  bore  Signer  Canaro.  When 
he  was  comfortably  bestowed,  and  a  first 
potion  from  the  vial  administered,  I  had 
the  satisfaction  of  seeing  him  drop  into  a 
profound  slumber.  The  man  of  mysteries 
and  healing  now  gave  me  minute  direc- 
tions, which  he  admonished  me  must  be 
scrupulously  followed,  and  having  pre- 
sented to  him  his  fee  and,  accompanied 
him  to  the  palace  entrance,  I  returned  to 
Signer  Canaro's  bedside,  having  first  taken 
care  to  secure  the  metallic  casket  from  its 
place  of  concealment  behind  the  arras. 
This  I  placed  so  that  Signor  Canaro's  eyes 
would  rest  upon  it  when  he  unclosed  them, 
and  then  seated  myself  to  await  the  sum- 
mons which  should  announce  the  arrival 
of  Hartzheim  and  my  beloved. 


Chapter    XXII 
Out  of  the  Viper's  Coils 

IT  lacked  but  little  of  the  stroke  of 
midnight.  In  the  silver  lustre  near 
the  door  a  single  taper  showed  a  greenish- 
yellow  flame.  On  the  couch  where  Sig- 
nor  Canaro  had  reclined  that  afternoon 
my  friend  Hartzheim  was  breathing  heavily 
in  slumber.  Within,  by  her  father's  bed- 
side, Angela,  the  flower  of  my  heart, 
watched  like  a  white  spirit.  Through  all 
the  house  of  the  Canari  there  brooded  a 
great  silence. 

It  was  my  watch,  and  I  needs  must 
move  frequently  to  keep  awake.  Now 
I  crept  in  to  whisper  some  comforting 
word  to  Angela,  now  I  peered  into  the 
garden  from  the  darkness  of  the  library, 
watching  the  indistinct  and  ghostly  move- 

343 


344  A  Man-at-Arms 

ments  of  the  boughs  of  the  limes  that 
were  by  fits  breeze-tossed ;  now  I  stole 
into  the  corridor  and  listened.  It  was 
here  that  I  came  most  frequently  and 
tarried  longest.  If  the  sound  rose  which 
I  dreaded  to  hear,  —  the  summons  of  armed 
men  below,  —  I  must  catch  its  first  echo. 
Tonio  had  been  dismissed  for  the  night. 
This  had  been  done  after  a  consultation 
between  Hartzheim  and  myself.  We 
thought  it  best  to  let  it  appear  that  the 
house  was  entirely  deserted.  Should  the 
emissaries  of  the  Visconti  arrive  and 
demand  admission,  we  decided  to  pay  no 
heed  to  them.  Possibly  they  might  retire 
without  forcing  an  entrance,  and  in  case 
they  did  use  force  the  presence  of  a  ser- 
vant might  lead  to  our  discovery.  He 
might  be  found,  and  frightened  or  tortured 
into  revealing  something.  As  for  our- 
selves, we  had  made  no  plans.  Signor 
Canaro  was  not  in  a  condition  to  be  con- 
sulted, and  we  did  not  wish  to  disturb 
Angela,  who  spent  her  every  moment  by 
her  father's  side,  unless  occasion  forced  us 
to  do  so 


Out  of  the  Viper's  Coils        345 

"  There  must  be  some  place  of  conceal- 
ment in  all  this  huge  house,  whither  we 
can  retire  if  we  find  ourselves  caged," 
Hartzheim  had  said,  when  we  talked  the 
matter  over  shortly  after  his  arrival ;  so  I 
had  tried  to  put  worry  away  from  me, 
and  to  think,  even  if  the  dreaded  men-at- 
arms  of  the  Visconti  arrived,  we  might 
somehow  contrive  to  elude  them. 

I  had  just  come  from  a  whispered  word 
with  Angela,  and  had  left  her  father  sleep- 
ing peacefully,  the  change  that  had  taken 
place  in  him  since  that  afternoon  being  a 
marvel  to  us  all.  His  countenance  had 
lost  the  death-like  cast,  and  when  he  was 
roused,  as  had  been  directed,  that  the 
medicine  might  be  administered,  his  voice 
was  strong,  his  eye  clear,  and  his  hand 
steady.  It  had  been  decided  between  my 
betrothed  and  myself  that  should  he  still 
be  slumbering  when  midnight  struck  we 
would  waken  him,  for  we  had  every  confi- 
dence that  he  would  be  able  to  endure,  at 
least  for  a  considerable  number  of  hours, 
the  fatigues  of  our  flight. 

For   several   moments    I    stood  in  the 


346  A  Man-at-Arms 

doorway  which  opened  into  the  corridor, 
waiting  as  eagerly  as  ever  man  waited  to 
catch  the  first  peal  that  should  herald  the 
birth  of  another  day.  Never  had  time 
seemed  so  leaden-footed  as  now.  I  was 
telling  myself  that  the  next  instant  my 
ears  must  surely  be  gladdened  by  the 
welcome  sound,  when  there  rang  through 
the  hallways  and  corridors  of  the  palace, 
faintly  at  first,  then  louder  and  more  loud, 
not  the  midnight  chime  of  bells,  but  the 
summons  for  admission  from  below. 

I  had  fully  made  up  my  mind  what  I 
should  do  in  case  of  this  dreaded  emer- 
gency. With  a  bound  I  sprang  through 
the  library  into  the  room  where  Angela 
and  her  father  were.  My  beloved  had 
heard  the  noise  and  had  risen  to  meet  me. 

"They  have  come,"  said  I.  "Rouse 
your  father  and  await  us  here.  My  friend 
and  I  will  go  to  reconnoitre.  We  shall 
soon  return." 

I  found  Hartzheim  in  the  corridor 
doorway.  Plucking  a  taper  from  the 
lustre,  and  lighting  it,  I  hurried  as  swiftly 
and  silently  as  possible  toward  the  front 


Out  of  the  Viper's  Coils        347 

of  the  palace,  my  friend  at  my  side.  We 
were  not  long  in  gaining  a  room  which 
overlooked  the  street,  where  we  loosened 
the  casement  and  were  able,  without  danger 
of  detection,  to  view  the  scene  below.  A 
great  flare  of  torches  in  the  hands  of  a 
dozen  city  watchmen  illumined  the  high- 
way, which  was  blocked  by  a  score  of 
troopers,  some  on  foot  and  some  on  horse- 
back. 

"  Open  !  "  we  heard  a  voice  shout,  as 
the  thunderous  knocking  ceased  for  an 
instant,  "  open  in  the  name  of  the  Lord 
of  Milan  and  of  Brescia  !  " 

The  man  who  demanded  admission  was 
Otto  von  Ettergarde. 

We  had  seen  enough,  and  we  speedily 
retraced  our  steps.  As  we  passed  the 
head  of  the  stairway,  the  noise  grew  more 
threatening,  and  we  surmised  that  they 
had  begun  to  batter  in  the  doors.  At 
the  extremity  of  the  corridor  Angela  and 
Signer  Canaro  were  awaiting  us,  the  latter 
erect  and  animated. 

"We  are  surrounded,"  he  said  ;  "  for  we 
have  just  noted  from  the  library  window 


348  A  Man-at-Arms 

the  light  of  torches  in  the  laneway  beyond 
the  garden.  We  are  not  yet  taken,  how- 
ever," he  continued,  "  nor  are  we  likely 
to  be  at  once  unless  those  noisy  fellows 
without  have  sharper  eyes  than  I  give  them 
credit  for.  Come  ;  I  will  show  you  where 
we  can  conceal  ourselves." 

We  followed  Signor  Canaro  into  the 
library,  and  watched  him  swing  out  and 
back  a  case,  which  was  apparently  built 
into  the  wall,  containing  a  rare  collection 
of  illuminated  missals.  In  the  opening 
thus  revealed  was  a  narrow  door  which 
readily  yielded  to  the  pressure  of  the 
hand,  and  showed  a  small  recess  from 
which  a  staircase  ascended. 

"  The  door  in  the  apartment  above  is 
as  cunningly  hidden  as  this,"  said  Signor 
Canaro.  "  We  can  remain  here  until 
they  tire  of  searching  for  us,  and  then 
perhaps,  even  though  they  leave  the 
house  watched  and  guarded,  contrive  to 
escape." 

We  took  care  to  close  the  doors  of  the 
rooms  we  had  occupied,  and  to  put  every- 
thing to  rights  so  that  the  apartments 


Out  of  the  Viper's  Coils        349 

should  not  seem  to  have  been  recently  in 
use,  then  we  entered  the  recess  and  be- 
came for  the  time  being  voluntary  pris- 
oners. Presently  we  heard  sounds  of  the 
search  for  us,  the  tramping  of  heavy  feet, 
the  murmur  of  voices,  then  these  noises 
grew  indistinct,  after  a  space  to  increase 
again  in  volume.  Angela  and  I  sat  mid- 
way upon  the  staircase,  below  us  Signer 
Canaro  and  Hartzheim.  Despite  the  great 
peril  in  which  we  were  placed,  those  hours 
of  waiting  and  anxiety  were  full  of  a  deep 
sweetness  to  me.  Had  I  not  by  my 
side  to  kiss  and  to  caress  at  will  the 
one  peerless  maiden  from  the  human 
flower-garden  of  the  whole  world  ?  Could 
I  not  pour  into  her  ear  pictures  of  our 
love-life  when  we  should  have  escaped  out 
of  the  Viper's  coils,  and  listen  in  return 
to  her  words  of  gratitude  and  praise  for 
what  I  had  already  done,  and  to  her  ex- 
pressions of  confidence  in  what  I  was  yet 
to  do,  for  her  and  for  her  father  ? 

At  length  all  sounds  without  died  en- 
tirely away,  yet  we  did  not  deem  it  wise 
to  venture  forth.  More  than  three  hours 


350  A  Man-at-Arms 

must  have  elapsed  before  it  was  de- 
cided that  a  move  should  be  made.  If 
watchers  had  been  set  we  wished  to  give 
them  time  to  become  drowsy.  Slowly  and 
noiselessly  the  case  containing  the  missals 
was  swung  outward,  and  Hartzheim  and  I 
slipped  from  the  recess  into  the  library. 
The  faint  gray  light  of  dawn  had  begun 
to  steal  into  the  room,  and  as  my  friend 
crept  toward  the  corridor  I  advanced  to 
the  window,  thinking  perhaps  I  might  be 
able  to  see  if  any  guards  had  been  posted 
in  the  garden.  To  my  surprise  —  for  I  had 
not  been  able  to  note  the  fact  in  the  dark- 
ness, nor  did  I  recall  having  observed  it 
on  my  first  visit  to  the  house  of  the  Canari 
—  I  discovered  a  balcony  just  outside  the 
window.  Cautiously  opening  the  case- 
ment, I  stepped  out  and  peered  below,  but 
could  see  no  one.  Then  I  let  my  eye 
follow  the  line  of  the  palace  to  the  left, 
and  found,  to  my  inexpressible  delight, 
that  both  the  adjoining  house  and  the  one 
next  it  were  supplied  with  balconies  simi- 
lar to  the  one  upon  which  I  was  standing. 
Here  was  a  possible  means  of  escape,  if 


Out  of  the  Viper's  Coils        351 

the  space  between  the  balconies  could  be 
bridged.  Hugging  the  wall,  and  tiptoeing 
along,  I  came  to  the  edge  of  the  gap.  It 
was  not  more  than  seven  feet  from  railing 
to  railing. 

"  One  of  the  Byzantine  couches  in  the 
room  adjoining  the  library  will  be  just  the 
thing  !  "  I  thought. 

Back  I  crept  as  hastily  as  I  dared.  An- 
gela and  her  father  had  emerged  from  our 
place  of  concealment,  and  to  them  in  a 
whisper  I  confided  my  plan. 

"  The  very  thing,"  cried  Signor  Canaro, 
"  dullard  that  I  am  that  it  did  not  occur 
to  me !  The  second  house  is  unoccu- 
pied, and  from  the  grounds  at  the  rear 
there  is  access  to  a  side  street  which  is 
not  likely  to  be  watched." 

My  heart  gave  a  great  bound  of  exulta- 
tion at  this  news.  As  the  gloom  of  night 
was  beginning  to  lift,  so  was  it  with  the 
darkness  that  had,  for  a  space,  beclouded 
our  fortunes. 

At  this  moment  Hartzheim  reappeared. 

"  There  is  a  guard  at  the  top  of  the 
stairway,"  said  he,  "  and  I  think  I  heard 


352  A  Man-at-Arms 

some  one  stirring  in  the  corridor  on  the 
right."  _ 

Hurriedly  I  told  him  of  our  plan. 

"  Bravo  !  "  he  cried,  in  a  whisper,  his 
face  brightening;  "we  shall  triumph  over 
the  Viper,  after  all." 

Angela  and  her  father  retired,  at  our 
suggestion,  behind  the  missal  case,  until 
we  should  have  put  our  improvised  bridge 
in  position,  then  Hartzheim  and  I  seized 
upon  one  of  the  couches.  It  was  rather 
a  cumbersome  affair,  by  no  means  easy 
to  handle,  and  we  found  that  it  was  im- 
possible to  move  it  without  making  some 
noise.  As  we  were  preparing  to  pass  it 
through  the  library  casement,  the  sound 
of  footfalls  reached  us  from  the  corridor, 
light  yet  unmistakable.  We  set  down 
our  burden,  and  I  started  as  though  I 
would  go  toward  the  door. 

"  No,"  said  Hartzheim,  in  a  suppressed 
tone,  "  there  should  be  but  one  of  us. 
Leave  it  to  me." 

He  slipped  off  his  sword  and  drew  a 
stiletto  from  his  doublet,  a  weapon  which  I 
knew  he  detested,  and  which  I  had  never 


Out  of  the  Viper's  Coils        353 

before  seen  in  his  hand.  I  hardly  recog- 
nized his  face  as  he  glided  by  me,  the 
usual  kindly  look  having  quite  gone  out 
of  it,  and  a  hard  and  fierce  resolve  settled 
there  in  its  stead.  I  realized  that  it  was 
no  hour  for  mercy.  He  into  whose 
clutches  we  should  fall,  if  captured,  would 
show  as  little  pity  as  the  venomous 
reptile  emblazoned  on  his  ensign,  or  as 
the  gaunt  gray  wolf  of  the  Apennines. 
Yet  I  could  not  think  of  the  man  who 
was  stealing  along  the  corridor  without  a 
qualm.  He  as  little  dreamed  of  the 
swift  death  that  lay  in  wait  for  him  as 
does  the  lusty  reveler  when  Hate,  in  the 
guise  of  Friendship,  presses  the  poisoned 
cup  to  his  lip. 

Suddenly  from  the  adjoining  room  came 
the  noise  of  scuffling  feet,  then  a  dull  blow 
and  a  spasmodic  sound  like  the  swift  in- 
drawing  of  breath.  Presently  I  saw  my 
friend's  face  again.  It  was  still  stern  and 
set.  He  refastened  his  sword  and  seized 
upon  the  couch  with  eager  energy. 

"  It  had  to  be,"  he  said,  "  and  I  was 
the  one  to  do  it,  yet  I  like  it  not,  least  of 


354  A  Man-at-Arms 

all  in  that  way.  I  trust  there  will  be  no 
others,  unless  —  "  he  stopped. 

"  Unless  ?  "   I  repeated. 

"  Well,  there  is  one  among  them  for 
whom  a  good  honest  thrust  would  be 
far  too  saintly  a  speeding,"  he  returned, 
and  I  knew  he  referred  to  the  man  who 
had  been  the  Visconti's  chief  instrument 
in  the  whole  affair. 

We  were  in  constant  fear  lest  a  noise 
should  attract  attention,  and  proceeded 
with  the  utmost  caution ;  consequently  it 
was  some  time  before  we  had  the  couch 
in  position.  The  outcome  of  our  efforts 
was  even  more  successful  than  I  antici- 
pated, and  we  hastened  to  summon  my 
betrothed  and  her  father.  Hartzheim  was 
the  first  to  cross,  then  followed  Signor 
Canaro,  and  then  Angela,  my  friend  and 
I  each  giving  her  a  hand  to  steady  her. 
I  was  on  the  point  of  joining  them, 
when  I  bethought  me  of  my  cloak  which  I 
had  cast  over  a  chair  in  the  library  that 
I  might  not  be  hindered  by  its  folds.  Tell- 
ing my  companions  what  I  sought,  I  sped 
on  tiptoe  along  the  balcony  to  the  open 


Out  of  the  Viper's  Coils        355 

casement,  entered,  had  lifted  my  cloak, 
and  was  about  retracing  my  steps  when  a 
footfall  caused  me  to  pause. 

Before  I  had  a  chance  to  conceal  myself 
a  man  strode  into  the  room  from  the  direc- 
tion of  the  corridor.  For  a  few  seconds 
we  stared  at  one  another  through  the  still 
indistinct  light  of  dawn.  Then  at  the 
same  instant  recognition  came  to  both  of 
us.  The  man  was  Otto  von  Ettergarde. 

"Ah,"  said  he,  "'tis  Signer  Tallow- 
Locks  !  "  using  the  same  insulting  epithet 
he  had  applied  to  me  at  our  first  meeting 
in  the  palace  courtyard  at  Pavia.  "  This 
time  there  seems  to  be  no  one  here  to 
interrupt  us,"  and  he  swiftly  closed  the 
door  through  which  he  had  come,  glanced 
into  the  bedchamber  adjoining,  and  closed 
that  door.  I,  in  the  meanwhile,  had  un- 
sheathed my  sword  and  swung  the  hang- 
ings fully  free  from  the  casement. 

How  von  Ettergarde  had  chanced  thus 
to  come  in  upon  me  I  could  not  imagine, 
but  here  he  was,  and  I  must  face  him.  I 
felt,  however,  no  sinking  of  the  heart  as 
he  came  forward  ;  on  the  contrary,  I  was  as 


3 56  A  Man-at-Arms 

calm  as  though  I  was  about  to  engage  in 
a  friendly  fencing  bout.  Life  and  love 
were  at  stake,  aye,  more  !  the  lives  of  those 
to  whom  I  was  linked  by  the  strongest 
ties  of  affection  might  hang  upon  the 
outcome,  and  yet  I  was  unmoved.  Von 
Ettergarde,  on  his  part,  was  perfectly  con- 
fident, and  the  fire  that  leaped  from  his 
cold  and  cruel  eyes  as  our  blades  crossed 
might  at  any  other  time  have  made  me 
feel  that  I  had  met  more  than  my  match. 
At  first  my  enemy,  such  was  his  com- 
plete assurance,  made  a  pretence  of  playing 
with  me,  but  seeing  that  I  was  not  to  be 
thrown  off  my  guard,  nor  led  to  take 
advantage  of  his  seeming  carelessness,  he 
tried  to  force  me  into  a  corner  near  the 
casement  where  my  arm  movement  would 
be  restricted,  and  he  would  have  me  at  a 
serious  disadvantage.  I  held  my  ground 
tenaciously,  however,  not  giving  back  an 
inch,  whereupon  he  retreated  as  though 
inviting  me  to  attack.  I  suspected  a  ruse, 
and  advanced  with  the  greatest  caution. 
Well  was  it  that  I  did  so,  for  with  a 
sudden  shifting  of  position  he  feinted  and 


Out  of  the  Viper's  Coils        357 

thrust  so  swiftly  that  it  was  not  skill  but 
a  blind  instinct  which  saved  me.  Of 
small  avail  my  shirt  of  linked  mail  would 
have  been  in  staying  the  force  of  that 
furious  blow.  His  point  was  aimed 
straight  at  my  heart,  and  I  managed  to 
turn  it  so  that  it  passed  between  my  arm 
and  side,  doing  no  more  damage  than  to 
tear  a  great  hole  in  my  doublet.  It  was 
a  stroke  of  which  I  had  heard  the  famous 
maitre  d'armes,  Houdon  Despagnac, 
sp^ak  one  evening  in  Bologna.  Later 
the  same  night  I  had  seen  him  illustrate 
how  it  should  be  parried,  and  how,  if 
the  opponent  of  the  one  using  it  were 
quick,  and  could  depend  upon  his  wrist, 
a  counter-thrust  quite  as  dangerous  could 
be  delivered. 

Though  I  had  never  put  into  practice 
what  I  had  seen  demonstrated,  since 
occasion  had  never  before  arisen,  I  re- 
solved to  attempt  it  now,  for  I  felt  sure 
von  Ettergarde  would  presently  try  the 
ruse  again,  his  first  attempt  having  fallen 
so  little  short  of  success.  Indeed,  I  believe 
he  thought  my  fate  was  as  good  as  sealed, 


358  A  Man-at-Arms 

for  a  little  smile  began  to  hover  about  his 
mouth.  There  was  some  further  cautious 
play  on  both  sides,  and  then  I  again  ad- 
vanced a  pace,  giving  my  antagonist,  as 
he  supposed,  the  desired  opportunity  to 
execute  his  coup.  But  this  time  my  blade 
met  and  turned  aside  his  forward  thrust, 
was  carried  by  a  quick  straightening 
of  my  arm  upward,  pierced  his  neck  just 
above  the  dip  where  the  clavicle  and  the 
breast-bone  join,  and  came  out  at  the  base 
of  his  skull.  My  sword  was  wrenched 
from  my  hand  as  he  fell  forward.  I  caught 
a  glimpse  of  the  horror  of  his  contorted 
face  ;  then  Hartzheim  came  in  through  the 
casement  and  embraced  me,  calling  me  I 
know  not  what  extravagant  names,  fill- 
ing my  ears  with  praise,  bidding  me  go 
to  Angela,  and  saying  that  he  would 
follow  in  a  moment  and  bring  me  my 
sword. 

Soon  my  beloved's  arms  were  about  me, 
and  then  I  came  nigh  to  playing  the 
woman  ;  but  Hartzheim  saved  me  by  ap- 
pearing just  at  the  right  moment  and  an- 
nouncing that  there  was  still  much  to  be 


Out  of  the  Viper's  Coils        359 

done  before  we  could  afford  to  waste  time 
in  love-making. 

Undetected  we  gained  the  balcony  of 
the  unoccupied  house,  pried  open  one  of 
the  casements,  and  were  soon  threading 
the  streets  in  the  direction  of  the  Porta 
Venezia.  Fortunately  not  a  soul  was 
abroad.  With  the  breaking  of  dawn  the 
watchmen  had  retired  to  their  homes,  and 
it  was  yet  too  early  either  for  the  hardiest 
laborer  or  the  most  enterprising  vender  to 
be  stirring. 

Our  only  fear  now  was  that  orders  had 
been  issued  to  allow  no  one  answering  to 
our  description  to  leave  the  city,  but  von 
Ettergarde,  who  doubtless  had  but  just 
arrived  when  we  heard  his  summons  at 
the  house  of  the  Canari  hard  upon  mid- 
night, had  failed  to  take  any  such  precau- 
tions. Although  the  gate-keeper  grumbled 
at  being  disturbed,  and  seemed  curious  to 
see  folk  of  our  evident  station  on  foot  at 
such  an  hour,  he  readily  opened  the  gates 
for  us  after  I  had  slipped  something  yellow 
and  glistening  into  his  hand,  and  Hartz- 
heim  had  explained  that  we  purposed  to  go 


360  A  Man-at-Arms 

hawking,  and  looked  to  find  our  servants 
and  hawks  and  horses  awaiting  us  at  the 
Three  Kings. 

Galbo  was  quickly  roused  and  the 
horses  saddled,  and  then  as  the  sun-rays 
were  dispelling  the  last  vestiges  of  the 
night,  the  brooding  vapors,  and  the  low- 
lying  mists,  we  galloped  away  from  Bres- 
cia through  the  fresh  air  of  the  morning, 
and  long  ere  noon  passed  in  safety  from 
the  territory  of  the  Visconti  into  that  of 
Francesco  da  Gonzaga,  the  Marquis  of 
Mantua. 

For  each  of  us  that  day  ushered  in  a 
new  life.  To  Signer  Canaro,  despite  the 
loss  of  his  princely  home,  came  a  peace,  a 
security,  and  a  contentment  which  he  had 
not  known  for  years,  a  world  of  quiet  pleas- 
ure in  the  society  of  those  he  loved,  and  in 
the  companionship  of  one  who,  like  him- 
self, had  felt  the  cruelty  of  sorrow  and 
misfortune, —  my  cousin,  Alberto  Gamba- 
corta.  To  Hartzheim  came  abundance  and 
prosperity,  the  cosy  inn  of  his  choice,  and 
the  little  woman  of  his  heart  seated  as  mis- 
tress by  his  fireside.  Truly  nothing  was  too 


Out  of  the  Viper's  Coils        361 

good  for  one  who,  at  the  sacrifice  of  his 
own  position  and  interests,  had  done  so 
much  for  friendship's  sake,  and  to  see 
the  right  prevail !  To  Angela  and  my- 
self came  a  great  and  ever-abiding  happi- 
ness,—  a  happiness  which  grows  sweeter 
and  sweeter  as  the  pilgrim  years  slip 
away. 

Never  again  were  any  of  us  enmeshed 
in  the  Great  Viper's  coils  (Venice  offering 
a  safe  asylum  when,  for  a  time,  Padua  fell 
under  the  sway  of  the  Visconti),  but  not 
until  more  than  half  a  score  of  years  after 
our  outriding  from  Brescia  that  memorable 
morning  did  the  long-delaying  hand  of 
fate  smite  down  the  man  who  was  a 
terror  to  prince  and  peasant.  During  the 
summer  of  1402,  the  plague  descended 
upon  Lombardy  with  fatal  fury.  To  the 
barred  gates  of  the  isolated  fortress  of 
Marignano  it  at  last  found  its  way. 
Where  human  foot  could  not  gain  an 
entrance  in  it  crept,  stole  from  room  to 
room,  and  finally  found  one  in  a  seques- 
tered apartment  cringing  and  shaking 
with  cowardly  fear.  It  leaped  upon  him, 


362  A  Man-at-Arms 

gripped  him  by  the  throat,  and  when  the 
news  spread  abroad  through  Italy,  a  great 
shout  of  deliverance  went  up,  for  a  curse 
that  was  worse  than  the  plague  had  been 
lifted  from  the  land. 


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"  Magda."  A  play  in  four  acts.  By  Hermann  Suder- 
mann.  Translated  by  Charles-Edward  Amory  Wins- 
low  .......  $1.00 

"Vera  Vorontzoff."  By  Sonya  Kovalevsky.  Translated 
by  Anna  von  Rydingsvard  .  .  .  $1.25 

Short  Stories. 

"The  Merry  Maid  of  Arcady,  His  Lordship,  and  Other 
Stories."  By  Mrs.  Burton  Harrison.  Illustrated  $1.50 


Publications  of  Lamson,  Wolffe  &  Company  5 

"A  Virginia  Cousin,  and  Bar  Harbor  Tales."  By  Mrs. 
Burton  Harrison  .  .  .  .  .  £1.25 

"Earth's  Enigmas."     By  Charles  G.  D.  Roberts       £1.25 

Miscellaneous. 

"  Diomed  :  The  Life,  Travels,  and  Observations  of  a  Dog." 
By  John  Sergeant  Wise.  With  100  illustrations  by 
J.  Linton  Chapman  .  .  .  .  £2.00 

"Ex  Libris.  Essays  of  a  Collector."  By  Charles  Dexter 
Allen  ......  $3.00,  net 

"  Uncle  Sam's  Church :  His  Creed,  Bible,  and  Hymn- 
Book."  By  John  Bell  Bouton  .  .  .  .50 

"Two  Unpublished  Essays  by  Ralph  Waldo  Emerson." 
With  an  introduction  by  Edward  Everett  Hale  $1.00 

"  If  Jesus  Came  to  Boston."     By  Edward  Everett  Hale    .50 

"My  Double  and  How  He  Undid  Me."  By  Edward 
Everett  Hale .75 

"'96  Charades."      By  Norman  D.  Gray     .          .      $1.00 

"Is  Polite  Society  Polite?  and  Other  Essays."  By  Mrs. 
Julia  Ward  Howe  .  .  .  .  .  $1.50 

"In  Friendship's  Name."    ~)  Two  gift  books  compiled  by 
"  What  Makes  a  Friend  ? "  j  Volney  Streamer    $1.25  each 

"Threads  of  Life."     By  Clara  Sherwood  Rollins      $1.00 

"  Orderly  Book  of  General  George  Washington,  Commander 
in  Chief  of  the  American  Armies,  kept  at  Valley  Forge, 
18  May-i  I  June,  1778"  .  .  .  fi.oo 


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